Biden wants to turn America's auto fleet electric. It's harder than it seems.

[Zorro]

The White House’s 2030 goal for electric vehicle sales could fall short of what experts say is needed to meet U.S. climate goals

When it comes to meeting President Biden’s climate goals, the math is clear: Half of all cars and SUVs sold in 2030 need to be electric.

Next week, the president, major carmakers and the nation’s largest auto union plan to promise to reach at least 40 percent by then — potentially rising to the 50 percent mark with generous federal investment.

The voluntary pledge, which is still under negotiation, highlights the challenge the White House faces as it seeks to translate the president’s bold rhetoric into reality. With United Nations climate negotiations just 3½ months away, the administration is struggling with how to transform the transportation sector, America’s biggest driver of carbon emissions.

The talks underscore the difficulty of reversing course after four years of environmental rollbacks. While Biden’s team can write new rules, it won’t fully offset the climate-warming pollution caused by the Trump administration’s decision to weaken standards on cars.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/07/29/biden-wants-turn-americas-auto-fleet-electric-its-harder-than-it-seems/

IMO range anxiety is the major consumer concern that has to be overcome before electric vehicles gain widespread public acceptance. I also felt that when taking my first extended journey driving a Tesla, but that's no longer a worry; I just completed my seventh cross-country trip.

It was a brilliant strategic move by Musk to put supercharging stations coast-to-coast as part of Tesla's rollout, and other automobile companies are having to face how to address that issue. Volkswagon's Electrify America program is attempting to meet that challenge, and I did see a number of those chargers on my trip, but no one was using them. The administration's initiative to install more chargers is a step in the right direction.

[OrlandoDem2]

1. Good. We need to do this ASAP!

[JT45242]

2. As a consumer -- I need an 8 hour or 600 mile range

Where we moved to is about 575 miles from where we used to live. Several times a year (pre covid) we would go back with only a short stop for gas and bathroom break. Until an EV can deliver that or can fully recharge the battery in the 10 minutes it took to gas and go to the bathroom, I will be looking at a hybrid or traditional vehicle.

Our country is too spread and does not have enough charging stations for folks like me. We have two working adults so one vehicle for short trips could be EV -- the batteries need to develop to meet the reality that as people take jobs far away from family there are trips that a battery needs to be able to manage.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Ford, GM, VW, Mercedes, Porsche, Volvo, and others have sworn to go all electric...

and are pushing out electric cars as fast as they can. Question is, who is buying them? Anyone? Most have at least a 10 grand premium, and the tax rebate is running out.

For myself, I might get one, but I have no place to charge it where I live, and public chargers exist, but an hour or so on a charger is unacceptable most of the time.

If this is for real, though, I'll be first in line:

[zeusdogmom]

4. In the past 6 weeks, I have done 4 long drives of over 400 miles each on major highways

Didn’t see ANY charging stations at the rest stops, gas stations, etc. where I stopped. Zero! If there were chargers available, they certainly weren’t visible. I would love to have an electric vehicle but not until this lack of charging stations is fixed.

[Zorro]

5. Charging stations currently are not ubiquitous yet

An electric car owner taking a long excursion would have to know where to look to find them.

Here's the Electrify America map that shows where they are (with more coming):

https://www.electrifyamerica.com/locate-charger/

Tesla locations are more prevalent:

https://www.tesla.com/findus

Tesla is advertising a 400+ mile range for the Model S, and charging times have been dropping.