In July, seven major automakers announced they are joining forces to build a large North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network to help people shift away from gas-powered vehicles. The network – comprised of General Motors, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes and Stellantis – is expected to rival Tesla’s and will nearly double the number of quick-charging plugs in the U.S. and Canada.
The multibillion-dollar investment is expected to add at least 30,000 plugs in urban areas and along travel corridors by 2030, to help alleviate “range anxiety” over long-distance trips. The companies hope to access U.S. government funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law to help pay for the network.
The first U.S. chargers should be ready by next summer, although the project is still just scratching the surface, experts say. There are currently about 8,700 direct-current fast-charging stations in the U.S. and Canada, with nearly 36,000 charging plugs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Even with 30,000 more plugs, the U.S. will need far more chargers. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that 182,000 fast chargers will be needed by 2030.
Fast chargers can get a battery to 80% of its capacity in 20 minutes to one hour, making them optimal for travel corridors and in some cases comparable to the time it takes to fill a car with gasoline. They’re much quicker than 240-volt “Level 2” chargers that can take hours to get a battery to a full charge.
The new network is expected to have 10 to 20 charging plugs per station, which equates to between 1,500 and 3,000 stations. Tesla’s network currently has 2,050 stations and more than 22,000 plugs in the U.S. and Canada. The automaker’s network would be public and open to all EV owners, featuring Tesla’s North American Charging Standard plugs and the Combined Charging System plugs used by other automakers.
The automakers are planning to use as much renewable energy as possible to power the chargers. They will be in convenient locations with canopies and amenities such as restrooms, food service and nearby stores.
The administration of President Joe Biden attributed the news to policies aimed at creating a U.S. EV manufacturing base, along with tax credits meant to increase sales – all to help fight climate change. EVs made up 5.8% of vehicle sales last year, with just over 807,000 units. Forecasts estimate that EV sales will grow to over 1 million for the first time this year. The consulting firm LMC Automotive predicts EVs will hit 14.4% of the market by 2025 and be close to 40% by 2030.
Source: The Daily Record
