Pete Buttigieg's $100 million plan to improve electric vehicle charging

author: FutureCar Staff    

The Biden administration has approved a $100 million effort to repair and replace broken electric vehicle chargers, according to the Department of Transportation. United States Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg revealed in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that he has personally faced challenges when trying to charge his vehicle.

The Department of Transportation's press release states that the federal funding will be used to fix existing non-operational electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Buttigieg praised President Biden's leadership in advancing the electric vehicle revolution and emphasized the importance of building a convenient and reliable charging network across the nation.

In the interview, Buttigieg shared his own experience of struggling to find reliable charging stations for his hybrid minivan. He highlighted the need to ensure access to charging is as reliable as access to fuel for gas cars, both in terms of quantity and quality.

According to the Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center, 4.1% of public charging stations were temporarily unavailable. Additionally, a recent report from J.D. Power revealed that 20% of drivers who visited a charging station did not use it due to issues with the chargers.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm commended Biden for investing in the national EV charging infrastructure, emphasizing the importance of chargers made in the U.S.A. She stated that this investment will make EV driving cheaper, more reliable, and more convenient.

The Department of Transportation estimates that the funding will cover the repair and replacement costs for all eligible publicly and privately owned charging stations. To be eligible for the federal funding, the charging stations must be available to the public without any restrictions.

Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt believes that this investment in the charging network will increase driver demand for electric vehicles. The Biden administration has plans to invest billions in building a more reliable and accessible EV charging network, aiming for 1.2 million public chargers by 2030. The administration estimates that this plan will require up to $55 billion in public and private capital investment and will result in significant consumer savings from reduced fuel and maintenance costs.

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FutureCar Staff