US kicks off program to repair faulty EV chargers and boost bay numbers

The United States government has begun a massive repair and upgrade program for the country’s electric vehicle (EV) chargers, with the first repair project kicking off in the nation’s capital of Washington, D.C.

First unveiled in January by the US government’s Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator (EVC-RAA) offers grant funding for the repair and replacement of existing non-operational publicly accessible Level 2 and DC fast charging stations up to 80 per cent of eligible project costs.

The nearly $US150 million program will replace or repair around 4,500 existing EV charging ports across 20 states, starting with a currently inoperable charger in Washington, D.C.

The Washington charger, even when operable, offered a maximum charging capacity of just 50kW but will now be upgraded to have capacity to charge four electric vehicles (EVs) simultaneously at a minimum of 150kW each using either a Combined Charging System 1 or J3400 connector.

“Having convenient, reliable chargers in the heart of Washington, D.C., will make it easier for residents, tourists, and visitors to drive electric,” said Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office.

“These upgraded chargers offer faster speeds, serve more drivers, and are part of a wave of projects creating good jobs across the country. Today’s historic groundbreaking marks another step forward on our journey to creating clean mobility options for all Americans.”

The government-funded EVC-RAA could hopefully be used as a roadmap for other countries, including Australia, looking to increase the reliability and uptime of its publicly available EV charging network.

Australia’s state and federal governments announced late last year a crackdown on the reliability of the country’s EV fast charging network, imposing a standard from the beginning of 2024 that would require all state-funded installations to be working at least 98 per cent of the time.

“As part of the National Electric Vehicle Strategy, the Albanese Government is working with states and territories on national consistency to give Australians greater access to charging infrastructure for cleaner, cheaper to run cars,” a spokesperson for federal energy minister Chris Bowen said in a statement at the time.

“This includes collaborating on payment methods, accessibility, and universal chargers so that EV drivers can access a convenient, affordable, and equitable national charging network.

“Minimum operating standards will help simplify administration, address range anxiety and send a strong signal to Charge Point Operators on baseline requirements.”

Addressing the reliability of Australia’s publicly available EV charging network could also be a vital step in supporting continued EV adoption, as so-called “charger anxiety” begins to overtake “range anxiety” as a new worry for electric vehicle owners.