Electric vehicles have taken huge strides over the years, but plenty of work remains to perfect the charging technology and infrastructure.
A recent report from ChargeX Consortium recommends introducing error codes to improve reporting and to help identify charger malfunctions.
"The landscape of the American road trip is changing," said Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. "To make an electrified road trip convenient and reliable, companies in the EV charging ecosystem must be on the same page about how they communicate, especially when issues arise."
Error code issues aside, the current state of public charging stations leaves a lot to be desired for EV drivers. Stephen Edelstein of Green Car Reports noted, "EV charger reliability has a lot of room for improvement."
A 2023 J.D. Power study found that one in five people who visited a charging station did not charge because of long lines or chargers needing to be fixed.
This latest report from ChargeX Consortium is part of a rollout from the U.S. government to build a $7.5 billion national charging network as demand for EVs intensifies. Last year, over 140,000 public Level 2 and fast-charging stations were in the country, with around 54,000 installed in 2022 alone. Level 2 chargers charge a fully drained battery in six to eight hours.
Electric vehicles still provide many benefits for the environment and your wallet despite the current issues with charger technology. More electric vehicles on the road will help reduce the amount of planet-warming gases released into the atmosphere.
Retail stores across the U.S. are joining in to help meet the increasing demand for EV charging stations. Walmart and Sam's Club recently announced plans to build thousands of new EV charging stations around the U.S. by 2030.
Starting this year, you can receive up to a $7,500 tax break if you purchase a new EV and up to $4,000 for purchasing a used EV as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
