The Case for EV Charging in Every City - Big or Small

Apr 12

The future of electric vehicle infrastructure is here, but adding charging stations to rural communities across California is just one step toward. Comprehensive electric vehicle adoption won’t happen until it’s viable for everyone across the country — whether they live in big cities or small towns. And for much of the past few decades of exponential EV growth, the latter have been all but forgotten. If the U.S. is going to make electric vehicles the predominant form of transportation, it cannot do it without all of our cities and communities.

A Growing Demand

The demand for electric vehicles is rising quickly and was particularly notable during the 2020 pandemic when it rose despite the general demand for autos dropping. A recent report from BlueWeave Consulting forecasts a global compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.6% per year from 2021 to 2027. During that time, EV sales are expected to double.

This increase in demand is in line with a growing public realization of the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions drastically. Many experts have set a target of reducing CO2 levels in half by 2030, and they see a reliance on EVs as a key part of this.

That wave of public sentiment is what pushed a company like General Motors to make the stunning announcement that it would phase out all gas-powered vehicles by 2035. If the momentum of demand weren’t there, it’s unlikely the company could take such a bold step.

Still, there’s a significant portion of the country that has yet to get on board. In rural America, an area that represents 25% of the U.S. population, 94% of drivers use gas-powered vehicles. Not only that, a 2017 National Household Travel Survey shows that they consistently drive farther than urban residents.

A Lopsided Demand

There are a variety of reasons for that lower rural demand. Car manufacturers need to better cater electric vehicles to consumers in smaller communities where pickup trucks are the vehicle of choice. However, some of the demand lag comes down to the usual suspect: range anxiety.

The fear that an EV’s battery won’t last as long as it needs to is one of the biggest barriers to consumer adoption. Batteries have made big strides, but they are still largely limited to about a 250-mile range on the high end. That makes charging station availability crucial.

A 2017 U.S. Department of Energy study of electric vehicle infrastructure found a significant shortage of fast-charging (DCFC) station availability across the country. The goal, according to the study, is for the country to have 56 DCFC stations per 1,000 square miles in order for any fully battery-powered car to have reliable access from anywhere. At the time of the study, the U.S. averaged 18 stations per 1,000 square miles.

Those 18 stations weren’t equally distributed, either. In the top 10 markets, that number jumped to 65 per 1,000 square miles. In many small towns, stations are nonexistent. In those areas, range anxiety is a significant concern — not only for the residents of those small towns but for anyone who may want to travel to or through them.

Where It’s Happening

The shift toward a more balanced electric vehicle infrastructure is happening. The Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a not-for-profit cooperative power supplier working with 45 members — primarily in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska — is just one example of an electric co-op working to secure wider access to EV charging. It’s because of co-ops like Tri-State and its partners that towns like Meeker, Colorado — home to 2,300 people — have installed EV charging stations.

These efforts are crucial for these small towns and the businesses they support. As more Americans switch to electric vehicles, businesses must accommodate to continue drawing in those visitors, road-trippers and tourists. And big box stores like Walmart aren’t the only business that can benefit from this type of forward-thinking. Local hotels, motels, restaurants and other businesses that hope to attract people passing through have a lot to gain by offering a place to recharge.

Making Electric Vehicles a Reality — For Everyone

These shifts are encouraging, and a needed step in the right direction. However, the need for a widely available electric vehicle infrastructure charging network only grows more urgent with each year. If the U.S. is going to meet its goals for curbing carbon emissions, it will need electric vehicles to be a realistic option for all of its citizens, no matter where they live or how far they travel.

We’re getting there. However, we have a long way to go.