Analysis of Biden’s Infrastructure Plan

< Back
March 31, 2021
June 30, 2023
9:30 pm
2:35 pm
News
Electric Car Charging

Analysis of Biden’s Infrastructure Plan

Photo by Adam Schultz / Biden for President

President Biden finally held his first official press conference last Thursday, March 25th, wherein he addressed his $2.2 trillion infrastructure bill, albeit from a high level that was light on details. What we do know is that the legislation will include $174 billion dedicated specifically to incentivizing EV manufacturing, the building of charging networks, tax credits for EV purchasers, and the development of alternative fuel technologies. The goal, Biden says, is to have a minimum of 500,000 EV charging stations installed across the country by 2030.

While the cause is noble, CNBC reporter Michael Wayland notes that government support alone may be insufficient to build the infrastructure necessary to spur such an electric revolution, especially in less than a decade. He cites concerns about lagging EV adoption and an analysis by New York-based consulting firm AlixPartners that highlights the high costs of some chargers. (See that full article here: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/31/us-ev-charging-system-a-priority-under-bidens-2-trillion-infrastructure-plan.html.)

We agree that it will take more than government support alone to accomplish the goal of an all-electric future. It will take a commitment from manufacturers to create safe, well-designed, well-appointed vehicles in a variety of styles that will attract customers. It will take a coordinated effort to educate consumers on the economic and environmental value of purchasing an EV. It will take researchers and engineers creating new technology that make greater levels of sustainability achievable and affordable. And it will take companies like EVCS with the skill and expertise to execute a vertically integrated charging network at scale.

In short, it takes a village. However, we also believe this initial investment will serve as a catalyst to greater EV adoption by helping make chargers more pervasive and thereby reducing most consumers’ biggest reluctance: convenient access to power when away from home. As more charging stations go up, so will EV purchases. The cycle will then result in more chargers still to address the growing number of EVs on the road, which will then prompt further EV purchases, and so forth, with the increase in supply ultimately driving down costs across the board.

Photo by Amir Blumenfeld

As the EV market becomes more economically viable, government subsidization will become less necessary. Private enterprises will start investing their own capital in charging infrastructure as it becomes apparent that demand is rising. And while higher-powered chargers like DCFCs (which can fill a typical EV battery to 80% in as little as 20 minutes) may cost more now, the investment will pay dividends by addressing the needs of Americans who are always on the go. Mass EV adoption and improved technology over time will subsequently lead to manufacturing more DCFCs at cheaper prices.

Biden’s plan also includes replacing 50,000 diesel transit vehicles with EVs and electrifying at least 20% of the country’s school buses, which will require many dedicated charging stations to ensure a seamless transition. Furthermore, while companies like Ford, GM and Volkswagen are starting to invest heavily in EV development, they seem to have little interest in building and operating their own charging networks (unlike Tesla), instead leaving it to more experienced entities like EVCS.

We are in a particularly enviable position here, having cut our teeth servicing the most lucrative and demanding EV market in the US. We understand the needs of site owners, drivers and carmakers. We know the assessment, permitting, trenching and installation process inside out, which means significant time and cost savings. We can offer a complete turnkey solution to states and municipalities that receive a share of this federal payout, with charging sites tailored specifically to the needs of each community. For instance, tourist destinations will likely want charging banks at high-traffic points of interest while mining towns may need them near industrial work sites.

Bottom line, wherever this new infrastructure spending takes us, we have the tools and talent to help lay the groundwork for achieving the administration’s goals.

Back
24
Jan
/
23
11
September
/
23
Press
Electric Car Charging

EVCS Selected by Washington State Department of Transportation to Help Support The Adoption of Fast, Reliable Public EV Charging

LOS ANGELES – January 24, 2023 -- EV Charging Solutions (EVCS), one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging network operators on the West Coast, today celebrates the award of $8.1M to build and retrofit 21 EV Fast Charging locations in Washington state. Awarded by the Washington State Department of Transportation's (WSDOT) Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Partnerships (ZEVIP) to Forth and Energy Northwest, these partnerships will support EVCS’s installation of 76 new and upgraded EV chargers along priority corridors in Washington.

READ MORE
27
Dec
/
22
30
June
/
23
News

‍2022: A Year in Review

As 2022 draws to a close, the EVCS team looks back on a year filled with so much progress and success across our industry.

READ MORE
20
Dec
/
22
30
June
/
23
Electric Vehicles
Electric Car Charging

8 Reasons Charging Speeds May Differ

As one of the country’s premier installers of EV infrastructure, we’re often asked by clients why vehicle charging speeds tend to differ so dramatically. The answer is… there is no one answer. In fact, reasons can be diverse and complex. Below, we summarize several factors that may be affecting your charging speeds. The more you understand about these factors, the better prepared you’ll be to maximize your rate of charging while protecting your vehicle’s longevity.

READ MORE
1
Dec
/
22
30
June
/
23
Electric Car Charging
Programs

EVCS Makes Hosting Chargers Easier Than Ever

Site hosts are an integral part of the EV revolution. They are the supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, gyms, office buildings, movie theaters, parking lots, retail stores and municipal properties – among others – that install and accommodate EV chargers for public use. Without these green warriors, progress would not be possible. Every day, we’re hard at work educating potential new site hosts on 1) how simple it is to have our chargers installed and 2) the key benefits of doing so. However, with so many still unaware, we thought we’d take a moment to summarize both the process and the perks!

READ MORE
26
Oct
/
22
30
June
/
23
Electric Vehicles
Electric Car Charging

How EVCS is Addressing the Surging Demand for EVs

The EV world has much to celebrate this year. It seems we’ve reached a turning point. While the overall number of new vehicles sold in America between Q2 2021 and Q2 2022 slumped by 20%, EV sales during that same period jumped over 66%, according to figures released by Cox Automotive. This comes on the heels of a larger global trend, with worldwide EV shipments up 79% year over year.

READ MORE