The $5 billion program was passed under the Biden administration as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It was designed to create a federally funded network of high-speed public fast chargers along America's major travel corridors, helping states lay the groundwork for broader EV adoption in the coming years. But after a slow and controversial start, the NEVI program finally appears to be gaining momentum.
Back in early September, Tesla launched the new "Supercharger for Business" program in an effort to give businesses the ability to offer EV charging at custom rates. It would give their businesses visibility and would also cater to employees or customers. "Purchase and install Superchargers at your business," Tesla wrote on a page on its website for the new program. "Superchargers are compatible with all electric vehicles, bringing EV drivers to your business by offering convenient, reliable charging."
More than $18 million was distributed through the second round of the Electric School Bus Grant Program, supporting the purchase of 53 battery-electric school buses and associated charging equipment. The program, authorized in 2022 and financed through the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities' Clean Energy Fund, provides up to $45 million over three years to replace diesel school buses with zero-emission alternatives. Grant recipients include school districts and private transportation contractors located across northern, central, and southern New Jersey.
The spiral staircase leading up to the roof-deck at Los Angeles's Tesla Diner is beautiful, or at least it is expensive-looking. It has video screens overhead and glowy lights at the base of each step and its own special soundtrack, a down-tempo, bleepy-bloopy composition that whooshes in as a notable contrast to the main dining room's dad rock. Glass display cases set into the walls hold human-size robots. Otherwise, every surface is covered in slick plastic, pure white.
Getting back to the sometimes miserable charging experience while on the go, the DC fast chargers installed by GM and EVgo at Pilot and Flying J gas stations should make things a lot better. First off, they're located along major interstate travel corridors, with well-lit bays, access to free Wi-Fi, on-site restaurants and groceries. What's more, many charging stations also have canopies, which can make a big difference if it's scorching hot outside or snowing.
Three years ago, I set off on an 800-mile road trip between Montreal and Toronto (and back again) in a Ford Mustang Mach-E. The goal? To probe the pain points of using a battery-powered electric vehicle for long-distance travel along one of the busiest routes in Canada. Although the end result was a success, that victory was qualified by an indictment of Toronto's EV charging options (pretty painful across the board) and my own lack of initial planning (inexcusable, to tell you the truth).
