Study Finds Frustrations with EV Charging Network

It is no surprise that electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly becoming more popular. As of early 2022, the average price of an EV was just above $65,000, but by early 2024, it had dropped to around $50,000, a 25% decrease, according to Kelly Blue Book. Coupled with federal tax credits for purchasing an EV and the Environmental Protection Agency’s stringent new pollution standards for vehicle manufacturers, it is projected that EVs will make up more than 25% of U.S. vehicle sales by 2050.

However, the increased demand for EVs presents challenges, particularly in charging infrastructure. Omar Asensio, a fellow at Harvard Business School Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society, looked at more than one million charging station reviews in his study and found the most common trends in many of the reviews. He even created a custom AI model, trained on these reviews, and determined that the average charging station reliability score is just 78%, making them less reliable than gas stations.

The study found several common complaints with EV charging, chiefly broken or poorly maintained equipment, erratic pricing, and entire counties in several states where there are no public charging stations. The most common were:

• ·       Many chargers have reliability issues, are poorly maintained, or on occasion are nonfunctional.

• ·       Drivers of traditional vehicles taking charging spots for EVs, a phenomenon known as getting “ICE'd” (for internal combustion engine).

• ·       Inconsistent or confusing pricing models.

• ·       Unequal distribution of charging stations throughout geographical areas.

• ·       Lack of public charging stations.

A comprehensive study by Asensio, also a researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology, also analyzed high-resolution data from 3,395 charging sessions at 105 stations. The study segmented users into casual and habitual groups, and further categorized them as early or recent adopters. It found that workplace charging is essential for habitual users, who often charge their vehicles at work due to limited nearby alternatives. This data then allowed them to collect data on pricing, and the amount of energy utilized for individual classes of users. 

This data answered many questions about the challenges of EV adoption and fills in many of the gaps for legislators, utility companies, and even commercial EV users. The federal government is working to improve EV infrastructure, providing grants to states to build out charging networks. Pennsylvania expects to receive $171 million over the next five years, and last year announced the first group of projects.