The Biden administration has yet to power on a single electric vehicle charger despite receiving $7.5 billion in 2021 from Congress to build the stations across the country.
A 2021 bipartisan infrastructure package included the massive sum to be spent directly on electric vehicle chargers, with a stated goal of 500,000 chargers in the United States by 2030.
According to Politico, approximately $2 billion has already been sent to different states, but less than half have started taking bids from contractors, meaning construction is still in the distant future.
Simply put, not a single charger has come online as a result of the gigantic government spending bill.
Figures on how many chargers currently exist and how many are needed vary depending on the source and which climate pledge is being adhered to.
In February 2023, it was estimated that the current number of chargers was just one-tenth of the national goal, at around 50,000. However, the Energy Department lists over 70,000 charging stations, with over 180,000 chargers.
Politico cited a National Renewable Energy Laboratory study that said 1.2 million public chargers, including 182,000 fast chargers, will be needed by 2030. There are currently an estimated 41,000 fast chargers.
Bloomberg stated however that California would need more than 1,000,000 charging stations of its own to be able to supply the 5 million emissions-free vehicles it hopes to put on the road by 2030.
According to the Zero Emission Transportation Association, $30 billion will be needed in the next 10 years to provide home charging rebates and grants to state, local, and tribal governments. This is the amount needed for the ever-pressed goal of 100% of cars sold being electric by 2030, as well as a zero-emissions pledge by 2050, which many European car manufacturers have agreed to.
The Biden administration reportedly believes it is on pace, however, with Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, reportedly stating that the rollout of chargers will “take a little bit of time.”
“But boy, when you’re done, it’s going to completely change the game,” he claimed. “You have to go slow to go fast,” he added.
Requirements for the charging network include building fast chargers along interstate highways and at least every 50 miles on major routes. They also must be operational at least 97% of the time and offer credit card payments.
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7.5 billion and not a single charge station. I wonder what they are actually spending the money on?