We’re getting there, but we still need a lot more EV charging infrastructure
US drivers have been among the most resistant in the developed world to appreciate the advantages of EVs, but the latest data shows that a record 1.2 million of them purchased one in 2023, and some studies conclude that one in two are thinking about going electric in the next two years.
The figures are open to interpretation, reflecting the reality of a huge country with huge contrasts between its coasts and central and southern regions — the so-called deep USA. Speaking from Washington, Secretary of State for Energy Jennifer Granholm says she’s sure more and more Americans will fall in love with EVs, but many drivers in rural areas still say they aren’t interested.
Reflecting the continued increase in the sale of EVs, significant state spending has seen the widespread installation of chargers: the Pew Research Center reports that 64% of Americans already live within two miles of one of the more than 61,000 public charging stations, with plans to have a minimum of four fast chargers per fifty miles on the Interstate Highway System.
However, both figures point to an interesting ambiguity: despite the increase in the number of chargers in the United States, in 2016 there were seven EVs for each charger; today, the figure exceeds 20, in contrast to other countries…
