Public charging stations are growing across the Northeast

Many drivers in the Northeast are interested in buying an electric vehicle but believe there aren’t enough public charging stations to supplement their at-home charging options. Because of this, some drivers feel like it might be too soon to make the switch to electric as they wait to see how the EV charging infrastructure market grows. 

However, across the country, and especially in the Northeast, we’ve seen encouraging progress over the past several years, making right now a great time to consider driving an EV. Communities are becoming increasingly committed to achieving a zero-emissions future and are working with key stakeholders to accelerate this expansion. Collaborative partnerships between charging infrastructure developers and automakers, coupled with state investments, are critically important to drive the transition to clean energy and make the widespread adoption of electric vehicles a reality.  

One example of this is General Motors (GM) partnership with the electric vehicle charging network, EVgo, which will add more than 2,700 fast chargers to approximately 40 cities and suburbs. The rollout, which will triple the size of EVgo’s current network, will begin in early 2021 and is expected to be completed by 2025. 

“We are moving quickly to bring new EVs to market that customers will love,” said Mary Barra, GM Chairman and CEO. “We know how important the charging ecosystem is for drivers, one that includes access to convenient and reliable public fast charging. Our relationship with EVgo will bolster the public fast charging network available to EV customers ahead of increased market demand and reinforce our commitment to an all-electric, zero-emissions future.” 

The new fast charging stations, which will run on 100% renewable energy, will be strategically installed in highly visible and trafficked areas, including grocery stores, retail outlets and entertainment centers. Consumers can shop and run errands with ease knowing they can easily charge their vehicle while they are out and about. To maximize utility and convenience, the stations will be built to allow charging for at least four cars simultaneously, at rates between 100kW to 350kW.  

Currently, more than 115 million Americans live within a 15-minute drive of an EVgo public charging station. An expanded EV charging network will allow EV drivers greater flexibility and availability to recharge at different times, levels, and locations, and help improve their range confidence. The new stations will provide more access to public charging, which is especially important for drivers who live in multi-family dwellings and can’t install at-home chargers. 

As automakers bring more electric cars to the mainstream, seamless and fast public charging options are crucial to meet both current and future demand. This partnership, as well as companies like Electrify America and ChargePoint, are increasing the EV charging footprint in the Northeast at an impressive rate and will continue to do so over the next several years. Most recently, New York announced a $750 million investment in electrification with a goal of installing 10,000 EV charging stations by the end of 2021. 

These investments in public charging, paired with at-home and at-work charging (where 89% of all charging actually takes place), make right now a perfect time to consider making the switch to an electric car.