Electric vehicle owners have reason to rejoice as seven major automakers are collaborating to bring an influx of DC fast chargers to North America. This ambitious initiative comes at a hefty price tag of over $1 billion. At present, there are 32,000 publicly available DC fast chargers in the US, also known as Level 3 chargers, but with around 2.3 million EVs on the road, there is only one charger per 72 vehicles. In an effort to address this issue and alleviate “range anxiety,” BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis have announced plans to install a minimum of 30,000 new fast-charge points in the US and Canada. The objective is to ensure that customers have convenient access to charging facilities whenever and wherever they need them. (source: Quartz)
The upcoming stations, set to open next summer in the US, will prioritize canopy cover where possible and offer amenities such as restrooms, food service, and retail operations. Furthermore, the stations will feature both the Combined Charging System (CCS) and the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors. To enhance accessibility to charging stations, more automakers are adopting the Tesla-exclusive NACS connector, given Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network, which currently comprises 17,000 stations in the US. Although Tesla plans to open 7,500 chargers to other brands by the end of 2024, they have only allowed access to fewer than 100 chargers so far. This joint effort aims to address the prevalent “range anxiety” that discourages potential EV buyers. According to Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius, “Charging is an inseparable part of the EV experience, and this network will be another step to make it as convenient as possible.” While all 30,000 new stations won’t be operational until the end of the decade, the need for more fast chargers is imminent. It is estimated that by 2030, there will be 30-42 million EVs on the road, with approximately half of all vehicles sold being EVs. To support this surge, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that 182,000 fast chargers will be required. (sources: Forbes, Washington Post, New York Times)
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