America constructed fast chargers
America has a goal for fast charging deployment, but without Tesla, the US is only 3% of the way to its goal. without Tesla, the US, well, it would be nowhere near achieving its fast charging goals.
The US is way behind its goal of installing fast chargers nationwide to support the transition to electric vehicles.
Slow Progress Toward Fast Charging Targets
Automotive news says that excluding Tesla’s network of superchargers, the nation is just 3.1% of the way to its target for 2030, which is only six years away.
the target here is to make EVs practicable for everyone, for everyone to be able to charge to have enough accessible DC chargers for EVs to basically be able to be the primary mode of transportation in America, including Tesla’s fast charging network, which at this point is accessible to primarily Tesla drivers.
The Impact of Tesla’s Network Expansion
But that’s about to change for drivers now have access. If you include Tesla’s network, America is actually 9.1% of the way to its goal, so 9% with Tesla, 9.1% with Tesla, 3% without Tesla, the difference is triple literally triple, which is absolutely amazing.
The Labs February report found that the United States added 2700 fast charging ports in the third quarter of 2023, an 8.3% increase.
Growth in Fast Charging Infrastructure
The rate of growth for fast chargers trailed that of both the slower level one and level two charges. There’s millions of level one and level two charges really, when you think about it.
I mean home charging is not that far off level one charging to be realistic. There should be a lot more chargers being installed though, said Akshay Singh, an automotive partner at PwC strategy.
The number of fast chargers being installed is increasing, but it’s not as fast as it should be it’s just not enough.
Dealership Influence and EV Sales Dynamics
The gradual progress toward charger targets comes as the rate of the EV transition has slowed, say experts.
Well, it’s not actually technically true. Dealerships would like you to believe this because they don’t want to sell EVs.
They don’t make much money through fixing parts in EVs, through services, etc. they say that inventory is on lots and sales are lagging in states, even in states like California with enthusiastic adopters.
But it’s in places like this where, to be honest, Tesla is just crushing the competition still.
Range Anxiety and Charging Accessibility Issues
California registered 90,000 electric light passenger vehicles in the fourth quarter, 90,000, but that was a 10% decline from 101,000 in the third quarter.
Analysts, automakers and drivers say that the range anxiety issue and a lack of reliable and accessible charging are part of the problem, and this was mentioned in a J.D. power study from last month that found public chargers are slowly becoming more reliable, but they are often dogged by long wait times and by broken chargers.
Significance of Public DC Fast Chargers
You buy an electric car, you pull up to a DC fast charger, you find one, you figure out how do they work.
It doesn’t work. Very common, very, very common that this happens. While the bulk of EV charging happens at home with level two chargers, DC fast chargers have the highest power output.
It’s much faster and the lab said a dependable network of public DC fast chargers is essential for fostering consumer acceptance of EVs in the United States and, of course, in places like Australia as well, where the distances for driving can sometimes be significantly greater than what people in Europe would travel.
Analysts said that this applies especially for long distance travel and drivers living in multi-family housing. A level one charger plugs into a standard 120 volt wall outlet, and has a charging rate of 20 hours or more.
Realistically, though, most people can charge overnight and that’s enough. A level two setup recharges an EV in 5 or 6 hours, using a 208 to 240 to 240 volt outlet.
Level three chargers, known as DC fast chargers, require at least 480V of current and can refill most of an EVs charge in about 30 minutes, though they cannot be installed in single family homes.
Charging Solutions and Consumer Behavior
Until recently, Automotive News says that most manufacturers had settled on one type of fast charging port the combined charging standard, or CCS.
But the breadth and reliability of Tesla’s network 62% of all public DC fast charging ports in America are Teslas has forced a pivot from major automakers to Tesla’s North American charging standard, or Nax.
Last week, Ford began registering F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E drivers for free next adapters, allowing them to charge at all of Tesla’s Superchargers across America.
Future Outlook
Other major automakers that will soon join the Tesla Supercharger network include BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, and Volvo.
And they say the drivers will be able to charge their EVs at superchargers starting this year.
Mazda, Stellantis and Volkswagen, which includes Audi, will use next chargers in 2025, but most of the manufacturers will build cars from 2025 onwards that have a next Tesla next charging port built in as of the 30th of September.
The lab found that about 65% of registered full EVs in the US were Teslas.
Technological Advancements
So proper electric cars, not hybrids 65% of them are Teslas. While the US is far behind its 2030 target of 182,000 publicly accessible fast charging ports along highway corridors.
Stephanie Brinley, a principal automotive analyst at SNP Global Mobility, said at this point, it’s hard to know for sure if the nation will even need that many.
Do they need that many? I think it’s probably not necessary. I mean, honestly, for most people, 98% of charging will be done at home. But yes, it’s true.
There is apartment blocks. There are some interesting solutions for apartment blocks though. What we expect and do certainly believe DC fast and public charging are going to be part of the solution.
Consumers are clever and creative and resilient. It’s entirely possible they may decide to do something a little bit differently than we think.
For example, drivers may prefer home charging or adapt to stopping at restaurants or shopping centers to use lower level to charges.
Comparing US and European Charging Targets
In fact, there’s actually charging ports, lower level two charges at hotels, colleges, all kinds of places all through America. Now, they’ve been built out at many locations.
I mean, basically restaurants and different businesses, retail shops, they’re thinking themselves, you know, how do we get an inch? How do we get it? How do we get an edge of the competition? Well, if people know they can charge while they’re shopping at our store, this is an advantage for our business.
So that’s why a lot of this is happening. On the flip side, they may reject at home charging and ultimately prefer shorter stints of fast charging, akin to filling up a tank of gasoline with gasoline station amenities.
Better technology or charging technology may change. But here’s the thing, guys. Let’s think about this logically.
Who the hell wants to drive their freaking iPhone to a gas station to sit there for five minutes to charge it? No one wants to do that.
Regional Growth
I think people’s mindsets will change to the point where they think, why the hell would I DC fast charge if I don’t have to do it? I think it’s a real chore and people will eventually have the same mindset.
Robert Fisher Domain principle of electrification at speed Automotive cast doubt on the targets themselves because they closely resemble Europe’s, despite the two regions having very different vehicle use cases, usage patterns and residential spatial patterns.
All told, The nation added more than 12,400 public charging ports in the third quarter, an increase of 8.4%.
Promising Developments in the Northwest
The North West in the United States saw the most substantial growth in public charging, says Automotive News, a 13% increase for the quarter, which the lab attributed to new level two chargers installed in several states, including Washington.