President Biden Sets Standards for Charging Electric Vehicles
Written by
Yaël Bizouati-Kennedy
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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The Biden administration has announced new steps to build out the first-ever national network of 500,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along America’s highways and in its communities.
In a fact sheet on the White House website, the administration said that the Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Department of Energy, is proposing new standards to make charging EVs convenient, reliable and affordable for all Americans, including when driving long distances.
These new rules of the road will help ensure that the national EV charging network is user-friendly and interoperable between different charging companies, with similar payment systems, pricing information and charging speeds — no matter what kind of EV a user drives, what state they charge in, or what charging company they plug into, according to the Transportation Department.
In addition, they will also establish strong workforce requirements for installation, maintenance and operations to increase the safety and reliability of charging station function and use, while creating and supporting good-paying, highly-skilled jobs in communities across the country, according to the statement.
“To support the transition to electric vehicles, we must build a national charging network that makes finding a charge as easy as filling up at a gas station,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These new ground rules will help create a network of EV chargers across the country that are convenient, affordable, reliable and accessible for all Americans.”
According to a 2020 Consumer Reports study, EV owners will spend 60% less to fuel their vehicle. In addition, the report notes that while there is variability among states because of differing gasoline and electricity prices, electric vehicle drivers will save on fuel in every state, with consumers in the majority of states saving within 10% of the national average savings.
“We’re tackling range anxiety and vehicle charging deserts by making sure that charging stations are easily and equally accessible, allowing every American can get coast to coast in an electric vehicle,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said.
In August 2021, President Biden signed an executive order, setting a new target of electric vehicles representing half of new vehicles sold in 2030, according to the White House.
“The future of the auto industry is electric — and made in America. Today, I’m signing an executive order with a goal to make 50% of new vehicles sold by 2030 zero-emission — and unveiling steps to reverse the previous administration’s short-sighted rollback of vehicle standards,” Biden tweeted at the time.
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