People in business, with products to sell and profits to make, don’t give up readily. In the last 200 years of history, ground transportation has gone from horses to coal-fired trains to gas-powered cars, and now to e-cars. Each transition helped us travel further, for less cost, and actually with less pollution. But … we’re all creatures of habit.
The leaders of the existing gas car mode won’t give up easily, so they search for reasons for people to not switch. Initially, they attacked “range” – how long you can go without new fuel. Then they attacked the lack of infrastructure, as gas stations were everywhere. However, installing simple recharge stations is a lot simpler than it was when they had to build all those gas stations. Now they cling to “time to refuel.” They’ve just lost this battle, too. Comments afterwards.
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7 automakers join forces to double
EV fast-charger network in U.S.
The joint venture by GM, Hyundai, Honda and other electric
vehicle makers will open the first of 30,000 fast chargers in 2024
By Julian Mark
The Washington Post
July 26, 2023
Seven major automakers on Wednesday announced plans to nearly double the nation’s network of high-powered electric vehicle chargers, an effort to address a key consumer reservation about EVs — that they may not have a place to power up on the road.
The plan calls for adding 30,000 fast chargers in urban areas and along highways, according to a joint statement by General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, BMW Group, Mercedes-Benz Group and Stellantis N.V. The U.S. network had about 32,000 such chargers as of July, according to the Energy Department.
The first stations are expected to be open by summer 2024.
Mercedes-Benz chief executive Ola Källenius, said …
“Charging is an inseparable part
of the EV experience, and this
network will be another step to
make it as convenient as possible.”
It is also crucial to broader efforts to wean American motorists away from gas power. U.S. EV sales are expected to make up more than half of all car sales by 2030, the companies said Wednesday. But EV prices — which averaged over $53,000 in June 2023 — represent a major hurdle for consumers, said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst at Cox Automotive. Another big barrier is charging infrastructure and anxiety about how far the cars can drive without running out of power. She said …
“If the automakers are going to meet
their global goals for selling EVs, we
have to have the infrastructure —
and [auto companies] recognize that.”
The stakes are high. Auto companies have poured billions into their EV businesses in a bid to catch up with Tesla, which controls the lion’s share of the market.
Tesla has granted other companies’ electric vehicles access to its fast-charging network, another area where the company has had a head start. In February, the carmaker agreed to open 7,500 of its roughly 20,000 fast chargers to all EV drivers by the end of 2024, which was necessary for the company to be eligible for a slice of the $7.5 billion in federal subsidies Congress poured into charging infrastructure.
Tesla and Ford jointly announced in May that Ford’s EVs would gain access to 12,000 Tesla Superchargers starting next year. GM soon forged its own deal with Tesla.
Fast chargers use direct-current electricity and can charge an EV battery to 80 percent from empty in 20 minutes to an hour — much faster than the four to 10 hours it would take a “Level 2” charger to achieve the same.
About 77 percent of the 142,000 EV chargers in the United States are Level 2 chargers, while about 22 percent are of the DC variety, according to figures from the Energy Department.
But chargers of all kinds, including DC, have proved unreliable, as drivers have encountered broken chargers and confusing payment processes. An August 2022 J.D. Power survey found that 1 in 5 EV owners who had visited a station could not charge, largely because of system malfunctions.
Still, expanding the network of fast chargers will be crucial for auto companies to win over EV customers, said Krebs, noting that she could not recall another time so many major companies teamed up for a single venture.
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I’ll begin my comments with:
There’s more at stake here than recharge speed.
Every objection to the transition to e-cars has been met. Refueling a gas car will take about the same time as recharging an e-car. And a percentage of gas pumps are also usually out of service. However, as our use of fossil fuels is literally killing our ability to live on this planet, every new car you buy must be electric. The transition is happening; given the disasters being created by global warming, which will likely get worse, the faster we can transition, the better.
As the article suggests, the problem is less with car manufacturers than it is with the oil companies. But this change is essential to our lives. However …
Based on my ten years of driving an e-car, it’s actually a great change to make. Driving is more fun. And cost is a lot less. Adding D’s comments …
“Change is deeply uncomfortable to human nature. Individuals like to have consistency to feel at peace. Changing from a gas car brings up all kinds of “nervous” emotions. Understand that these emotions are common. It still means that this change must occur to help with climate change.
“Don’t let the fears keep you from doing the best thing for Mother Earth that you can control, and that is: invest in an electric vehicle.”
