Reliable EV charging will be crucial this July 4th holiday, as the Great American (Electric) Road Trip takes center stage

Last updated: July 2, 2024

Record numbers of Americans are poised to travel for the upcoming July 4th holiday and weekend. And a record number of those people — an estimated 60.6 million — will travel 50 miles or more from home by car, according to AAA. This year’s travel surge will also take place with more EVs on the road than ever: around three million electric vehicles will shuttle Americans around this Independence Week.

With all that EV travel, drivers will rely heavily on public charging stations. Day trippers will need to find charge ports to top off their batteries for the drive home later that day. And point-to-point road-trippers going longer distances over multiple days will lean on highway fast-charging stations to keep the wheels rolling down the highway. 

That means it is vital now, more than ever, that EV drivers can charge their vehicles when and where they need to. And that means reliable and abundant charging infrastructure, with ample uptime. But as recent media reports, driver satisfaction surveys, and industry trends all indicate, public charging infrastructure has often fallen short of those basic goals.

A recent McKinsey driver satisfaction survey found that some EV drivers are considering switching back to an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle — respondents cited frustrations with public charging infrastructure as a key driver. Damaged or otherwise down stations, inaccurate charging apps that don’t correctly report station status on networks, and aging EVSE equipment all signal bumps in the road for EV travelers.

This problem is solvable, and ChargerHelp is leading the charge. In our upcoming report, we will delve deep into the reliability of the nation’s EV charging infrastructure. By analyzing in-house data from charging stations nationwide, public data, and other industry information, we aim to uncover when, where, why, and how charging stations fail. From this comprehensive analysis, we can pinpoint the necessary steps to restore and enhance the reliability of the EV charging network. With better data and insights, the electrified American road trip will only become more efficient and enjoyable.

Despite the McKinsey survey, BNEF’s 2024 EV Outlook — released in mid-June — still forecasts record growth and sales this year. As more and more Americans become part of the EV ownership wave, the country has an opportunity to continue the trend of American ingenuity in the automotive industry and make this Independence day road trip — and each one that follows — brighter, faster, and more efficient.

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