Just yesterday I recorded an incredible conversation with the archivist from Ford, formerly of Coca-Cola, about the history of fueling infrastructure in this country and let me just say... when you listen to that conversation, you'll understand why we haven't cracked the code on EV charging yet.
There are two camps here:
One understands what basic-ass AC charging can do and that overnight charging takes care of all local needs full stop. That's me, wishing we focused on this.
The other imagines EVs getting used like ICE vehicles, and pulls the trigger assuming this makes sense.
I would wager every report you see from someone being dissatisfied with an EV is someone who could not charge at home and got one anyway.
And every report you see where EV owners question what on Earth people are thinking comes from people who can charge at home.
And by focusing so much on DC fast charging built up and effectively not at all on getting slow charging at apartment buildings and workplaces, we are setting up a whole class of folks to not understand the best ways to use their EVs.
This includes policy makers who could help renters.
It's also setting up a class division of, "people who can use EVs reliably" and "people who won't get an EV because it's difficult to charge it regularly."
Plus the EV registration tax is setting up another divide too, since unlike a fuel tax it means residents only are paying for roads.
If I had a suggestion it would be that they leave the registration tax (which against fuel $.38/gal is cheaper for EVs) and add a Fast Charger tax for travelers.
My experience regarding the fees for EV registration is that they can seem ridiculous but as soon as you explain to someone that since BEVs don't visit gas stations they don't pay fuel taxes, they realize why it's needed pretty quickly.
How best to do it is debatable but its need really isn't.
