The Biden administration announced plans to collaborate with Tesla on expanding the country’s access to charging stations.
Key Details
- Tesla operates a network of more than 28,000 charging stations across the U.S. to support its electric vehicles (EV), and now those chargers will be available for other EV brands.
- The White House announced Wednesday morning that Tesla will be one of several companies helping to build a network of 500,000 charging stations.
- At least 7,500 Tesla chargers will be augmented by the end of 2024 to allow other vehicle brands to use them, and thousands of new charging stations will be built along major highways.
- Tesla is planning to double the size of its charger network, producing new units out of its manufacturing facilities in Buffalo, New York.
- The Biden administration has heavily lobbied Tesla to agree to assist in meeting its goal, The Washington Post reports.
Why It’s Important
While the Inflation Reduction Act has made the shift toward EVs a national priority, the country still needs to have the infrastructure buildup necessary to facilitate the shift. Grocery stores across the country have charging stations installed, but many rural areas need more charging stations to allow them to shift seamlessly.
Building new stations along roadways and near rural populations will be necessary to make the complete shift toward clean energy viable. The White House is working to alleviate the situation to meet 2050 carbon reduction goals.
The administration is similarly working with Hertz, British Petroleum, Pilot Company, General Motors, EVgo, TravelCenters Of America, Electrify America, Mercedes-Benz, ChargePoint, MN8 Energy, ChargePoint, Volvo Cars, Starbucks, Francis Energy, Forum Mobility, and Ford to expand access to charging stations.
Notable Quote
“The open chargers will be distributed across the United States. They will include at least 3,500 new and existing 250 kW superchargers along highway corridors to expand freedom of travel for all EVs, and level two destination charging at locations like hotels and restaurants in urban and rural locations,” says the press release.