Already a problem noted by many EV owners, unreliable EV chargers put a strain on drivers, the parties responsible for the chargers, and the adoption of EVs entirely. Having reliable refueling options are a requirement for any type of transport and because EV chargers are fundamentally different from gas stations, there are opportunities for problems to arise that would otherwise not present themselves at a gas station. Unfortunately, one of the biggest issues plaguing charging stations right now is vandalism. Bad actors routinely break and disable charging stations, mostly because they’re against EVs one way or another. The issue is that because they’re not actively monitored (especially level 2 charging stations) it’s very hard for any intervention to be done to address this issue directly. In addition, issues like wear and tear damage, weathering, and old age also cause charging stations to be much less reliable than they need to be. Fortunately, there’s help coming along from the White House.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the “Biden-Harris Administration today opened applications for the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator which will provide up to $100 million in Federal funding to repair and replace existing but non-operational, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.” This is a major step in reinvesting and fixing billions in private sector investments made when these were installed. The DOT press release adds that “Reliability is a critical component to the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive approach to build a convenient, affordable, reliable, equitable, and Made-in-America national EV charging network.” We applaud this project and hope to see investment continue to address new and existing infrastructure alike.