Former President Donald Trump has recently made headlines with his claims about the Biden administration’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure investment. However, these statements are far from accurate, according to a recent FactCheck.org report.

The $7.5 Billion Investment: What’s Really Happening?

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the Biden administration spent $9 billion to build only eight EV charging stations. In reality, the situation is quite different:

Congress approved $7.5 billion to build a nationwide network of EV chargers over five years.
Not all of this money has been spent or even made available to states yet.
Experts predict these funds will help build thousands of charging stations and over 30,000 individual charging ports.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, as of mid-August:

“The funds that have been deployed have helped produce 61 charging ports at 15 stations, with another 14,900 ports in progress.”

Trump’s Exaggerated Claims

Trump’s statements at various events have wildly exaggerated the costs and numbers:

At the Republican National Convention on July 19, he claimed: “They built eight chargers … for $9 billion!”
On July 26, he inflated the potential cost to $5 trillion for nationwide coverage.
By August 5, his estimate had ballooned to $10 trillion.

Pete Gould, a policy expert in transportation and mobility technology, told E&E News that Trump’s calculations “sound too ridiculous to be true … because they aren’t true.”

The Reality of EV Charging Infrastructure Progress

The actual progress and plans for the $7.5 billion investment are quite different from Trump’s portrayal:

$5 billion is allocated to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.
Approximately $2.4 billion has been made available to states so far.
19 states had awarded $287.6 million in NEVI funds as of mid-April.
An additional $623 million has been awarded for 47 projects through the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program.

Michelle Levinson from the World Resources Institute stated:

“In terms of awarding funding, the Biden Administration has made good progress.”

EVXL’s Take

While the rollout of EV charging infrastructure may seem slow to some, it’s important to understand the complexity of such a massive undertaking. The Biden administration’s investment is a significant step towards a more sustainable transportation future.

As we’ve seen in our Tesla coverage, the EV industry is rapidly evolving, and infrastructure development is crucial for its success. The gradual but steady progress in building charging stations across the country will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in increasing EV adoption and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

Photo courtesy of astrosystem/ stock.adobe.com

What are your thoughts on the progress of EV charging infrastructure in the US? Share your opinions in the comments section below.