Posted on 02/27/2023 3:32:50 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
(Reuters) - Armed with billions of dollars, the Biden administration is embarking on the biggest transformation of the U.S. consumer driving landscape in generations, hoping to blanket the nation's highways with electric vehicle chargers.
The federally-funded chargers must be placed within a mile of state-designated electric vehicle corridors. Reuters has reviewed dozens of state applications for this funding and talked to a host of federal, local and company officials involved in the projects, to get a picture of how this new network could reshape the country.
The state EV corridors feature some of the nation's busiest roads, including I-95 from Maine to Florida (1,924 miles), I-5 from Washington to California (1,381 miles) and I-90 that stretches from Boston to Seattle (3,021 miles).
Where, exactly, the chargers will be located, what powers them, who builds them and what drivers do while their cars are juicing up could shift the fate of companies, cities and utilities and have repercussions around the globe.
There's no guarantee they'll be located at existing massive service stations. Surveys conducted by states show consumers want amenities - think manicures, showers and food - as they wait the 20 to 40 minutes it takes to charge up their vehicle.
The federal guidelines on the EV charging network require certain basic amenities, like proper lighting, restrooms and signage, but states are giving preference to applicants who offer a broader menu of options, such as longer-term dining and services like barber shops or manicures.
The first tranche, $1.5 billion of the $7.5 billion to fund the charger network, will head to states this year. Companies like ChargePoint Holdings Inc, EVgo Inc and Tesla are expected to do battle for the cash.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
Give ma a couple of $billion and I’ll build some too.
The parking lot of the Walmart in our tiny town has a charging station for 4 cars (I think). I think they might have been installed for our winter visitors, but the amazing thing is, I have never seen a car plugged into them. I have noticed cars parked in the spaces, but not plugged in because they were ICE powered. Not even hybrids. Funny ain’t it?
What an absolute waste.
No one subsidizes my gas stations...yet I am forced to provide chargers for folks stupid enough to not foresee their limits.
Amenities like “manicures”????
Must be some of those preening peacocks from the Capitol out in one of the rural Districts.
There is a hotel parking lot in Great Falls Montana with like 10 Tesla chargers and the place is always empty even with all the Californians moving there.
... because central planning has always been superior to free markets. /s
I don’t know why the business and government people who installed those things couldn’t figure this out. I figured it out myself and I can barely spell “EV.”
If you move from California to Montana, why would you ever need to use an EV charger at a hotel?
How about the electrical generation infrastructure? Wind/solar plus vast arrays of storage batteries just isn’t going to cut it?
We need nuclear. NOW.
There is a way to set this power source up very quickly, on a mass production basis.
https://www.energy.gov/ne/advanced-small-modular-reactors-smrs
The technology exists. The manufacturing capacity exists. And most of all, the need exists. It is possible, using a number of much smaller grids, or no grid at all, to tailor the placement of these smaller units in such manner as to readily “harden” them against an EMP pulse from a low-orbit nuclear blast launched by a hostile party, and thus recover full capability quickly.
metal scrapers are gonna love this,
And we thought California bullet train was the big grift.
Here is Biden saying “Hold my beer.”
The waste will be staggering.
So the EV driver plugs in and goes into a salon to get her nails done ...
Meanwhile her EV is fully charged long before her nails are ...
and theres a line of EVs waiting to use the charger ...
What then ???
Charger “Sorry, no charge for you? You went to a Trump Rally” “Be seeing you....”
Money-makers.
Guess what they’ll charge per kilowatt-hour after they cement in users with their backs against the wall?
Actually, it makes sense. Consider the people who can afford an EV right now. They are expensive for the average Joe to own.
But, and EV station where one doesn’t have to sit around in the hot sun/hot car or freeze in the winter while your vehicle charges.
This client avatar has disposable income. Higher end amenities and better dining options beyond gas station food or McD. Would that class of people do haircuts/manicures, probably not they have their preferred service providers for that. But, might they do a little boutique shopping? Yea, I could envision that. Better quality tourist traps. I think about Grandpa’s Cheesebarn off I-71 in Ohio, artisanal cheeses, wines etc. I think about some of the vendor carts I see at high-end malls with unique items translated to an EV rest area.
You, as a vendor or restaurant, will have a captive audience with the financial ability to afford things. Heck, even a cart (or golf cart) selling ice cold fancy waters would make a killing. Call me a crazy entrepreneur, but I can totally see this scene in my head right now.
These things are going to wind up in ruins like little Stonehenge’s if they ever get built. Where does the federal gov get the authority to do this?
Reality is quickly overtaking this propaganda effort. Owners of electric vehicles are experiencing and loudly reporting the nightmare of long distance travel. It isn’t just about the lack of charging stations. It is also about the impractical vehicle ranges that causes trips to be constantly interrupted for LONG recharging stops. It is about the need for heat inside the car in very cold weather which results in even LESS vehicle range than normal.
There is even a more ominous threat. If you must sit in a car in one location for a long recharge, you become prey to violent criminals.
Will a single woman want to be stationary at a charging station where she MUST get out of the car to disconnect the charging cable? She is literally TIED TO THE CHARGER and cannot flee without becoming even more vulnerable by exiting her car to disconnect.
Also, the fast-charge cables have valuable copper inside. Thieves have already stolen cables to sell as copper scrap. We could easily see a huge percentage EV charging stations vandalized and inoperable. Drivers could find they are on an endless search for WORKING, UNDAMAGED chargers.
This would be like exiting an interstate highway and finding many gasoline pumps disabled and not working.
Very true, but this can go one of two ways. Just reading this https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4134133/posts about the guy trapped in Walmart for 2 hours or going to the Mexican restaurant while waiting for his car to charge. It goes back to my earlier post.
He doesn’t want to wander around a Walmart for 2 hours.
Ok. I’m old and retired, so I’m out of the marketplace now. But here’s an idea for some entrepreneur.
First, set aside all your pre-conceived notions. There is money to be made by sucking on Uncle Sam’s Lollipop.
These “corridors” are gonna be built no matter what anybody with a practical mind has to say. Sure, it’s stupid: sure, it’s a huge skittle—y-zillion dollar boondoggle.
Here’s the idea: “EV-Passports”
A reserved-guaranteed “slot’ for a long trip. Your “slot” follows you along with pre-reserved “slots” in motels and charger points. This removes anxiety over getting stuck in Podunk with crowded charger points and delayed.
It’s a travel service for individuals to be sure of a place to charge and a meal, and maybe an overnight. Basically, you “file a drive plan” with EV-Passport, and they reserve your needed stops and facilities along the route — additionally providing tracking emails or voice calls to a relative if you want.
A membership service, I can see as how an entire parallel but private and even high-class operation might evolve from this.
This sort of roadwatch thing WILL happen. It’s a needed service. It’s only a question of WHO will do it. Maybe joint venture with a hotel chain with existing presence and name.
Send me 1% of profits if you do it.
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