Fast chargers are expanding quickly, but American EV drivers still fear running out of juice

"For most Americans, there's less reason than ever to worry about finding chargers to fuel up an electric vehicle. But charging worries remain a top hesitation for potential buyers, second only to sticker shock. Those concerns linger even as fast chargers multiply. More than 12,000 have been added within a mile of U.S. highways and interstates just this year, an Associated Press analysis of data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows."

"Yet a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago finds about 4 in 10 of U.S. adults still point to range and charging time as major reasons they wouldn't buy an EV. That's significant considering only about 2 in 10 Americans say they would be extremely or very likely to make a new or used electric vehicle their next car purchase."

"Always sporting hot pink and waving a bubblegum checkered race flag to match, Dixon posts snapshots of the charging experience along her 3,000-mile (4,828-kilometer) route, hoping to bust Americans' anxiety about range and charging. Dixon said she has repeatedly found that range anxiety is stuck in people's heads, even though the gap in price between gas and electric cars is closing and more chargers are being installed."

Fast-charging infrastructure has expanded rapidly, with more than 12,000 fast chargers added within a mile of U.S. highways and interstates this year, representing about one-fifth of quick-charging ports. Despite the growth, consumer concerns about range and charging time remain prominent, with roughly 4 in 10 U.S. adults citing these issues as major reasons to avoid buying an electric vehicle. Only about 2 in 10 Americans say they are very or extremely likely to buy a new or used EV next. Clean-transportation advocates conduct road trips and share charging experiences to counter persistent range anxiety as prices narrow and chargers continue to be installed.

Read at www.mercurynews.com