According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), sales of light-duty, all-electric and hybrid vehicles nearly doubled last year, from more than 300,000 in 2020 to more than 600,000 in 2021. International trends show that electric vehicle sales accounted for nearly nine percent of cars sold in 2021, up from only 2.5 percent in 2019. As demand for electric vehicles continues to grow, "it is imperative that the United States has the proper charging station infrastructure installed to accommodate these vehicles," the Automotive Service Association (ASA) said in a release.
As electric vehicles continue to be deployed it will be essential to have charging stations not only on interstates, but also in public locations such as libraries, parking structures, schools, and private businesses, ASA said. Many of the state-led plans for electric vehicle charging implementation champion public-private partnerships.
“It’s important that independent shop owners are aware of policies that impact the U.S. vehicle fleet. ASA is working to ensure that shops stay up to date to reap the maximum benefits from electric vehicle infrastructure programs," said ASA chairman Fred Hules. "As electric vehicles become increasingly more prevalent in the market, it will be essential for shops to invest in infrastructure and EV training.”
Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing entitled “Charging Forward: Securing American Manufacturing and Our EV Future.” During the hearing, witnesses discussed the implementation of the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as it pertains to electric vehicles, United States reliance on oil and gas, and manufacturing goals for an all-electric future.
