SILVER SPRING, Md. — Electrify America, an electric car charging network supported by money paid by Volkswagen as retaliation for its emissions-cheating scandal, has announced intentions to more than increase the number of charging stations across the US and Canada.
Automobile manufacturers have increased manufacturing of electric vehicles that can go further and charge faster, but they are afraid that buyers interested in EVs will wait until charging infrastructure improves.
The current generation of electric vehicles can take power at a considerably quicker pace than earlier models, with many having ranges of over 300 miles (480 kilometers) per charge, but most charging stations can’t keep up with the vehicles’ sophisticated technology.
President Joe Biden’s administration will have to consider the increased cost of fast-charging stations when it designs incentives to entice firms and municipalities to install additional charging stations. By 2030, the administration hopes to have 500,000 charging stations across the country.
Since opening its first charging station in May 2018, the Reston, Virginia-based firm claims to have erected four stations each week on average.