The U.S. has seen a surge in electric vehicle adoption and a growing network of public charging stations. According to the latest count, there are 183,000 public charging ports available nationwide. That means our charging infrastructure has nearly doubled in just three years. While the growth is encouraging, whether that’s enough to keep up with the rapidly expanding number of EVs is another story.
The Charging Landscape
A closer look at the public chargers across the U.S. reveals that most of them are Level 2 plugs – 140,387 to be exact. They are a convenient solution for charging your EV while at work or running errands. Why? That’s because they aren’t fast by any stretch of imagination. Level 2 chargers can provide a maximum 19 kW of power. On the lower end, they only push 6 kW meaning it can take up to 10 hours to fully charge your electric vehicle.
DC fast chargers are the answer for those needing a quicker top-up. Over 43,166 public DC fast chargers are available, with the majority capable of delivering hundreds of kilowatts of power and significantly reducing charging times. However, the reality is that not all DC chargers are created equal, and many of them fail and stay out of service. Reliability is a huge issue when it comes to public EV chargers.
The Road Ahead
While the number of chargers is already impressive, we are told this is just the beginning. The Biden administration promised to install half a million EV chargers before the end of 2030. The ambitious National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program aims to address the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles and ensure the support infrastructure can keep up with the market.
36 states are already participating in the NEVI program. The number of chargers isn’t the only focus; the types and locations are equally important. EV technology is advancing at breakneck speed, and we should expect to see even faster and more efficient charging options in the very near future.
There is no electric vehicle revolution without charging infrastructure. Putting ever-so-larger batteries in EVs won’t fix range anxiety. However, widely available fast DC chargers — and working — might be the ticket. The future of EV charging in America looks promising. The NEVI program, combined with investments from private companies, will help many drivers make the switch easier. The day when EV charging is as ubiquitous as filling up at gas stations is coming, although it’ll be a while.