Mountains of evidence show a seismic shift toward an electric future. BEVs, HEVs and PHEVs outsold gasoline vehicles in Europe during Q4 last year, with America poised to follow suit as sales volumes topped 800,000 in 2022 (a 65% increase over 2021). In a recent interview with The Verge, VW CEO Herbert Diess said it best: “The world is changing. It is transforming into an electric automotive world.” And who would know better than head of one of the world’s preeminent carmakers? But if that’s still not enough for you, consider these reasons.
1) Government Mandates
A spate of executive orders on both national and state levels have all but made the transition to EVs inevitable. The Biden Administration’s bipartisan infrastructure law calls for the installation of chargers across 35 states and 53,000 miles of highway. “Making electric vehicle charging accessible to all Americans is critical to achieving a transportation sector that improves our environment and lessens our dependence on oil and gas,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. Additionally, California will require all vehicles sold in the state to be electric by 2035, with Oregon, Washington, New York and others expected to adopt a similar mandate.
2) A Shift in Manufacturing
Legacy automakers that have been cranking out ICEs for decades are going all in on electric. Volvo, Jaguar, VW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus and GM have all made commitments to phase out gas-powered models between 2030 and 2040, while others like Porsche, Nissan, BMW and Ford are rapidly increasing the number of EVs in their lineup so as to outpace ICE manufacturing over the next to 10 to 15 years.
3) Climate Change
A recent AAA study cited environmental friendliness (along with lower fuel costs) as the number one reason consumers are interested in switching to EVs. A single ICE passenger vehicle emits close to 4.6 metric tons of CO2 a year, leading to harmful and potentially irreversible effects on our atmosphere. “The proliferation of electric cars will improve air quality and help slow global warming,” says a recent New York Times piece, while noting Southern California air quality has already seen an uptick in clean air thanks to the popularity of EVs there.
4) Infrastructure Investment
According to Dan Bowermaster, program manager at the Electric Power Research Institute, expanding infrastructure is paramount to increased EV sales. “The faster a network of EV charging infrastructure is deployed in the US, both along highways and in public areas… the faster we will hit [elevated sales] milestones.” Well, federal investment in infrastructure will top $900 billion by the end of FY2023, with billions more coming from states, municipalities, capital firms and oil companies (yup, even they see the writing on the wall, with Chevron recently pouring tens of millions into a large EVSE manufacturer).
5) Technological Innovation
EVs sport the latest advancements, like simple user interfaces, regenerative braking, and the ability to produce peak torque from a standstill. Moreover, smart-charging networks like EVCS optimize EV charging while minimizing grid impact; plus, new V2G technology allows users to return surplus power back to the grid. The electric mobility sector is innovating at a rapid pace, from chargers to batteries to drivetrains, which is making EVs more attractive to consumers.
6) Winning the Culture Wars
According to a AAA survey, 25% of Americans are likely to buy an EV as their next car. Positive PR centered around EVs has only grown as news stories highlight the benefits of going electric; movies and TV shows feature some of the hottest new EV models; and popular celebrities like Kevin Bacon, Steph Curry, Leonardo DiCaprio and Katy Perry actively promote electric. And momentum will only build as more consumers notice EVs in their neighbors’ driveways and wonder, “What am I missing out on?”
7) They’re Just Too Cool
Lastly, EVs boast bold new styling, awesome performance, and are fun to drive, making them an attractive option for consumers. They’re the ultra-sleek, futuristic rides we were promised decades ago in movies like Demolition Man and Minority Report.
These are just some of the reasons why we at EVCS believe the future of America is electric. And you can be sure we’ll continue serving as a pioneer in the world of EV infrastructure for a long time to come.