Episode Show Notes:

• Take a look at the current map of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the U.S.
• The map shows dots representing towns with EV chargers, but large areas remain blank — meaning vast regions lack reliable EV charging infrastructure.
• Even where there are dots, it doesn’t mean full coverage; it only indicates the presence of some charging stations in that town.
• Planning a cross-country trip (e.g., Florida to Texas) poses challenges due to sparse charging locations along major routes.
• Imagine if your cell phone coverage map looked like this — would you feel confident relying on your phone or car with such patchy service?
• Reliable access to EV charging is arguably even more important than cell phone coverage.
• Lack of fast chargers (Level 3) is a big issue: most chargers are slower Level 1 or 2, taking hours to add meaningful charge — for example, a Level 2 charger takes about an hour to add 25 miles of range.
• For EVs with a 150-mile range, this means frequent long stops on road trips, making travel inconvenient.
• Although the government has allocated funds to improve EV infrastructure, many states have yet to fully utilize this money due to challenges like:
  • Finding suitable locations
  • Securing permits and approvals
  • Ensuring sufficient electrical grid capacity
  • Some states repurposing funds for other projects, like bus fleets
• This sparse map highlights a key barrier to EV adoption — buyers must consider charging access like cell phone coverage before purchasing.
• It’s similar to buying a gasoline car if there were almost no gas stations — how would you refuel?
• Until widespread, reliable charging infrastructure exists, large-scale EV adoption faces hurdles.
• Currently, states like Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, and parts of California (outside major cities) show large “white” areas with little to no charging stations.
• Unlike gasoline vehicles, which have gas stations roughly every 10-15 minutes in most populated areas, EV drivers must plan hours ahead to recharge.
• If an EV runs out of charge, it requires towing to a charging station, unlike gasoline cars which can get roadside fuel delivery.
• We want to hear your thoughts:
  • Is EV charging coverage improving enough?
  • What needs to happen for this map to be more “colored in”?
  • How will charging infrastructure impact your decision to buy an EV?