- U.S. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Andy Levin (D-Mich.) want a high-speed electric-vehicle charging network along the nation’s highways in five years.
- The want stations that charge EVs as quickly as filling up a traditional car with gas.
- The EV Freedom Act would also include provisions for good-paying jobs and buying U.S.-made products.
Planning a road trip with an EV can be a cumbersome process, and worrying about where to charge it can take a lot of the fun out. Currently, in addition to Tesla’s growing infrastructure, there are chargers set up by Electrify America and by ChargePoint, which is teaming with the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO) to deploy chargers at over 4000 travel plazas over the next decade.
But that progress may not be moving fast enough to bring real, large-scale acceptance of electric vehicles by American car buyers. A frequently cited barrier to adoption is the charging network. Being able to charge at home every night is great for commuting and tolling around town. But eventually, drivers will want to go farther than their vehicle’s range, and that’s where it gets complicated.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Andy Levin say they want to fix that.
The representatives have introduced the EV Freedom Act, a bill that would empower the Energy and Transportation departments to create a comprehensive, high-speed electric-vehicle charging infrastructure within five years. They cite President Eisenhower’s accomplishment in the 1950s, the interstate highway system that connects the country via high-speed roads, as a source of inspiration. “Six decades later, it’s time to expand on that idea and bring America’s infrastructure into the 21st century,” Levin said during the announcement of the bill.
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“Cars, above all else, have historically represented America’s problem with dirty oil. Establishing a nationwide network of electric-vehicle charging stations helps us reduce emissions, creates good-paying jobs, and will help transition the U.S. economy to a cleaner future,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
The main goal of the bill, according to the representatives, is to build a comprehensive, nationwide network of high-speed EV chargers within five years. Along with that, they’d like to ensure those working on the network will have good-paying jobs and follow “Buy American” requirements; build chargers that work as quickly as filling up a gas-powered car; promote interoperability, creating essentially a single charting port and system; and make sure that it’s a secure, convenient system that’s ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant.
If we’ve learned anything from Schoolhouse Rock, it could be quite a while before this bill becomes a law even if all goes well. As Bloomberg News said, it’s a “long shot” in this contentious election year.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
