The national think tank known as Third Way published an analysis on August 11, 2021, revealing that the United States needs to add 1.03 million new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the next eight years to meet President Biden’s EV sales goal.   

Biden’s goal is for the U.S. to have at least 50% of its new car sales consist of electric vehicles by 2030. To support all those EVs, the United States needs a sufficient number of charging stations.   

Many major automakers have agreed to significantly increase their EV production to boost the number of electric vehicles sold, doing their part to combat climate change. Such agreements are non-binding, yet the increasing demand for better mileage and lower emissions places added pressure on the manufacturers to comply.   

But even as interest in electric vehicles increases, the U.S. is short on EV charging stations to support the number of cars on the road, should Biden’s goal be met.   

Americans Are Open to Electric Vehicles But Wary of Limitations  

In the United States, sales of electric vehicles are increasing, but at a significantly slower pace than in Europe and China where emissions policies and incentives have been issued.  

 Nearly 70% of Americans say they know that electric cars are better for the environment, yet fewer than 40% say they are likely to consider purchasing one when they next buy a car.   

One of the biggest reasons concerns the range of distance an EV can go on a single charge.   

While the average EV range is typically fine for day-to-day use – most EVs can go around 250 miles on a single charge – it’s an issue for those who need to be on the road for farther distances.   

According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the United States currently has 96,000 public charging stations and 14,000 chargers. Unfortunately, that’s around 900,000 short of what would be needed to adequately support so many EVs on the road, if the U.S. were to meet Biden’s goal.   

While electric vehicles are still more expensive than cars that run on gas, their per-mile cost is significantly lower. For example, a car that gets 35 miles to the gallon at $3.50 can go 100 miles for $10. In an electric vehicle, that same 100 miles would cost around $3-$4, which is approximately 3-4 cents per mile.   

Still, major manufacturers like Ford Motor Co. feel optimistic about sales, despite consumer hesitations regarding sticker price, driving range, and lack of charging stations.  

Having recently debuted its 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, an all-electric pickup truck, the company is thrilled to confirm that 100,000 pre-order reservations have been reached already.   

Emma Bergg, Ford spokeswoman, said in June, “We’re super excited about the demand. Reservations are getting added all the time.” She concluded that the official order bank would open in the fall of this year.  

What Will It Take for the United States to Reach Biden’s Goal?  

According to projections listed in the Third Way report, there are a few things that need to happen for America to reach President Biden’s electric vehicle goal:   

• “Light-duty” or personal vehicle sales of EVs need to be 50% of all car sales by 2030.  
• If the sales goal is met, that will put roughly 27 million electric vehicles on the road, which will require the nation to have 1.125 million public charging stations available. 
• Federal funding is needed to the tune of $6.5 billion to support the creation of an EV infrastructure; that’s in addition to the bipartisan infrastructure deal that recently passed.  
  

Statistics show that transportation is the most significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with more than 90% of the fuel used for transportation coming from petroleum-based products, including gasoline and diesel.  

Earlier this month, the administration announced new standards from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Transportation Department regarding mileage and pollution. These standards are part of Biden’s goal to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and help push electric vehicle production and sales.   

The auto industry is in agreement with EV sales targets; we can only hope American drivers get on board as well.  

Opinion writer: Lynette Garet

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