Despite Congress allocating $7.5 billion in 2021 to build tens of thousands of electric vehicle (EV) chargers across the United States, not a single charger has been constructed using these funds. This allocation was part of President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure package, which aimed to transform the nation’s roads and address climate change by promoting electric vehicles.
According to Politico, consumer demand for electric vehicles is increasing in the U.S., necessitating a significant expansion in the number of chargers. However, the expected rollout of chargers funded by the infrastructure law has been delayed, with none expected to be operational until at least 2024. This delay hinders Biden’s goal of making half of all new vehicles that are sold in the U.S. be electric by 2030.
Currently, the U.S. has about 180,000 EV chargers, but the infrastructure package aimed to increase this number to half a million by 2030. However, officials from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory suggest that even half a million chargers will not be sufficient, estimating that 1.2 million chargers will be needed by the end of the decade to meet the growing demand.
Breitbart News highlights that U.S. car dealers are urging Biden to reconsider his EV mandates and carbon emission regulations, pointing to a lack of consumer demand for electric vehicles. The Consumer Reports survey also indicates that EVs face significantly more problems compared to traditional gas-powered cars, including issues with charging infrastructure, lithium-ion batteries, build quality, and engine failures.
This situation underscores the challenges in transitioning to electric vehicles, particularly in terms of infrastructure readiness and meeting consumer expectations and needs.
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