A new electric vehicle charging station is seen near San Francisco hall.
The trillion-dollar infrastructure bill cleared an enormous hurdle in the week with Senate passage. If approved, several billion dollars would go towards electric vehicle charging stations. But who should install and maintain those stations?
In addition to charging their cars reception, future EV owners are getting to want to try to do that on long treks too, said Carnegie Mellon professor Jeremy Michalek.
Infrastructure bill could boost EV charging stations, but who’s responsible for the stations
“If I’m going to rent a cabin up in … a country, I would like to form sure I can charge my car there too,” he said.
Industry groups just like the National Association of Convenience Stores are lobbying Congress. they need to stay a necessity for road trips of the longer term, said the group’s general counsel Doug Kantor.
“You plug into a high-speed charger. You go inside to use the restroom and grab a drink … and pretty quickly you’re on your way,” he said.
Kantor also said competition within the private market could keep prices lower. But, public utility-run chargers could offer better access, said Michalek.
“Think about USPS – the mail isn’t profitable to deliver mail to tons of those rural areas, but we roll in the hay because we would like mail to be something you’ll believe anywhere,” he said.
Michalek added that early-adopter EV drivers are understanding about the limited infrastructure now, but the mainstream public is going to be less tolerant.
