John Biers
Montclair, United States ●
Autumn, May 13, 2021
It’s been a long road for electric cars in the United States, but myriad announcements by major automakers signal that they are finally getting closer to the mainstream.
With more electric models to come into showrooms, the focus will shift to consumer willingness to switch to electric cars when conventional gas stations remain familiar and ubiquitous.
Fear of being stranded has long been viewed as a barrier to electric vehicles. Addressing this discomfort, known as “range anxiety,” is driving President Joe Biden’s policy forward and bringing new EV charging companies to the public market.
In New Jersey, a northeastern state with a US autocentric orientation, officials recently announced $ 5.4 million in grants to build EV chargers in 27 high-traffic locations, including 7-Eleven stores , Gas stations and outdoor shopping malls.
The new chargers, with which motorists can fill up in 20 to 30 minutes, aim to normalize electric vehicles, fight range fears and find a way to a future without oil.
However, the push underscores one quirk in the future of electric vehicles: it is not clear how often these new stations will be used, as most of the charging will likely still take place at home or at work.
“The public indictment is really filling here and there,” said Peg Hanna, assistant director of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Ben Rich, who charges his Tesla at home but uses fast chargers when traveling, suspects some locations are underutilized but believes they are likely needed for the fossil fuel transition.
“People need to feel like they can recharge when they have to,” said Rich, who teaches physics and environmental science in Montclair, New Jersey. “If you don’t feel that, stick with gasoline cars.”
Electric vehicle momentum was already rising before the 2020 elections, but since November General Motors has set a 2035 target for an all-electric fleet, and states have accelerated electric vehicle programs.
Biden pledged to build 500,000 new EV charging stations during the campaign and added funding for new chargers to his proposed $ 2 trillion infrastructure package.
The plan is met with opposition from Republicans, but White House support for electric vehicles has increased confidence in the changes ahead.
“It’s no longer a question of ‘if’ or even ‘when’. It is now,” said Jonathan Levy, EVgo’s chief commercial officer. “The question is, how much faster is it going?”
EVgo, which is slated to go public later this year, is the leader in fast chargers that operate at times the voltage compared to level 2 chargers that charge cars for hours.
The surge of current required can sometimes require additional transformers. According to industry officials, local approval and location requirements can also drag projects out.
Underlying the broader question about EVs is the need for consumers to accept new fueling technologies.
With a quick charger in a mall, a consumer can charge while picking up groceries or having lunch. Another option is to turn it on at home or in the office.
Turning it on at a public EV station typically costs significantly less than $ 10, much less than filling up on gasoline. Electric car owners report modest increases in utility bills from home charging, although buying and installing a charger at home can cost hundreds of dollars to start with.
With both options, electric refueling is a change from the current model, where drivers of fossil fuel vehicles pull up and pump gas for a few minutes.
Pasquale Romano, CEO of ChargePoint, which went public earlier this year, believes consumers will welcome the move by comparing driving a car at home to charging a smartphone.
Refueling with gasoline “is very out of date” and “anchored in the world of liquid fuels,” said Romano.
Many of the public chargers that are currently on the market are barely used.
According to Daren Moss, senior vice president of operations and sustainability at Brixmor Property Group, an EVgo charger in a mall in the New York suburb of Selden was charging less than two times a day in March.
However, Moss expects “exponential” growth in demand over the coming years as more EV models arrive. Brixmor plans 20 to 40 more charging points in its shopping centers in 2021.
“Providing this amenity helps bring customers to the property,” Moss said.
Jesse Georgaklis also believes an EV transition is imminent, even if the EV charger at his BP gas station in Brick, New Jersey is mostly idle.
“I think it will sneak in on us faster than we think,” he said.
Georgaklis expressed ambivalence about electric vehicles and recognized the importance of protecting the environment for his son’s generation, but was concerned about the future of his business, which was started by his grandfather in 1947.
“Where are we going to make up for the gasoline business?” he asked. “From the guy shipping it to the guy here who puts it in tanks, there are a lot of people with lots of jobs and lots of money who are at risk.”