How General Motors Is Trying To Convince Rural US Citizens To Drive Electric Vehicles
A lack of electric vehicle chargers is one of the greatest objections to the drive to get more EVs on the road. This lack is most acute in rural America, where the chargers are few and far between. But General Motors has just made the news for its plans to shore up that gap.
There are currently roughly 43,000 Level 2 electric vehicle chargers in the US. This charger offers a slower charge than the fast chargers (Level 3). But it is ideal for areas where cars sit for extended periods, such as schools and shopping centers.
And the majority of both Level 2 and Level 3 chargers are on the coasts or in major cities. That is because most EVs sell in the more populated and coastal regions. General Motors firmly believes this sales disparity is due to a lack of electric vehicle chargers.
So the company has big plans to change that. It hopes to nearly double the number of Level 2 chargers over the next few years. And the majority of those would get targeted at rural areas.
But how does General Motors plan to identify ideal locations to install all these chargers? Well, they intend to go to the source. And that source is local residents.
The car manufacturer has reached out to its dealerships with a proposal. They asked the owners of each car dealership to install 10 electric vehicle chargers in their service area. So far, 1,000 dealerships have agreed.
These Level 2 chargers will get built and installed by Flo, a company that builds electric vehicle chargers. And local contractors will be responsible for all maintenance. While the chargers will all have the General Motors brand for EVs (Ultium), they will be compatible with all other electric vehicles.
Even Tesla owners will get the chance to plug in. Provided they have an adaptor. So, that sounds like good news all around.
However, the best news is that the electric vehicle chargers will be built robustly. That way, they may withstand misuse or vandalism attempts. The CEO of Flo, Louis Tremblay, told CNN that “abuse and attempted vandalism are common reasons chargers break.”
Each car dealership owner will work directly with their local city and county officials to determine the ideal location to install the electric vehicle chargers. “Mary Jo Wheeler of Wheelers Chevrolet GMC in Marshfieid, Wisconsin, said she worked with the city’s engineering department to locate appropriate places for the chargers.” General Motors hopes that the strategically installed chargers will remove some consumer objections.
However, the plan is not all selfless. General Motors has been vocal about its goal to sell EVs exclusively by 2035. And to do so, it needs the largest possible customer base.
The company won’t release details about how much the charging station installation initiative will cost. But it does plan to spend upwards of $750 million on the entirety of its charging infrastructure. So, there will likely be plenty of new EV news from General Motors coming down the road.
