Long lines and broken chargers: Demand for powering EVs outpaces infrastructure

Long lines and broken chargers: Demand for powering EVs outpaces infrastructure

Americans bought more than 1 million electric vehicles this year. Marketplace’s Meghan McCarty Carino says the expanding fleet has collided with our inadequate public charging network.

Lily Jamali and Rosie Hughes | Dec 21, 2023

More than a million electric vehicles were sold in the U.S. this year, but despite that, GM, Ford and Tesla announced they were reducing production of EVs in the fall.

As more drivers make the switch to electric, the availability of public places to juice up those cars hasn’t kept pace. In 2021, the federal government set aside $7.5 billion to build tens of thousands of chargers across the country. But the project has barely broken ground in the two years since.

Marketplace’s Lily Jamali spoke with Marketplace reporter Meghan McCarty Carino about the issue, which she’s been following as both a reporter and an EV driver. The owner of a 2019 electric Volkswagen Golf said relying on public charging has become more difficult as EVs have multiplied on the road and at the stations where they power up.

The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

Meghan McCarty Carino: I have owned my EV since 2019. It’s kind of an older model, it’s a lower-range EV. This was the first year, I would say, I really started to question my decision to get an EV. There are a number of reasons, I think, but basically the charging situation became untenable.

Lily Jamali: I’m surprised by that because you’d think if you’d had it since 2019, the charging situation would have only gotten better. So, what’s going on? more
https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-tech/long-lines-and-broken-chargers-demand-for-powering-evs-outpaces-infrastructure/

Most battery EV fans haven't ever actually driven one yet, or waited in a line to get to a charger to wait for their battery to charge.

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