EV Charging Points in America Are Finally Making Money
EV charging in the U.S. is reaching profitability, but many argue that high fast‑charging prices and unreliable public networks risk slowing broader EV adoption. Owners with home or workplace charging report dramatically lower per‑mile costs than gasoline, while renters, city dwellers, and those dependent on DC fast chargers often face costs comparable to or higher than fuel. Commenters debate the role of subsidies, utility pricing transparency, and connector standards (notably Tesla’s NACS) in expanding infrastructure, with a recurring theme that EVs must be not just cleaner but clearly cheaper and more convenient to win over the mainstream.
Home charging economics and convenience
- Many EV owners say home charging is a “game changer”: effectively a full tank every morning and no gas-station trips.
- Reported home-charging costs: roughly $25–$40/month in several US states, ~£36/month in the UK, often 2.5–4x cheaper per mile than gasoline or diesel.
- Several detailed back-of-envelope calculations put typical home-charging costs around $0.03–$0.04 per mile vs. $0.07–$0.12 for comparable ICE cars.
- Solar owners report near-zero marginal cost for driving.
- Some note electricity and gas price volatility; long-term relative advantage of electricity is viewed as uncertain but likely favorable.
Public fast charging prices and profitability
- Complaints that DC fast charging at ~$0.64/kWh can make EV “fuel” as expensive as, or more than, gasoline—especially where home charging isn’t possible.
- Some argue climate goals justify keeping charging unprofitable for years via subsidies; others say private operators need a path to profit or stations won’t be built or maintained.
- Fast charging is often framed as “luxury fuel” or a road-trip convenience; critics counter that for many drivers without home charging it is a necessity, not a luxury.
Connector standards and Tesla’s role
- Discussion notes the industry shift to Tesla’s NACS plug, though actual non-Tesla NACS vehicles and chargers are still emerging.
- Expectation of an awkward transition period with adapters and mixed networks, but many believe the pain will be limited and temporary.
- Tesla’s Supercharger network is widely praised for lower build cost and higher reliability than rivals.
Access, renters, and infrastructure gaps
- Strong disagreement with the claim that “nearly everyone can charge at home.”
- Large cohorts in apartments, cities, or with street parking lack practical home charging; this is seen as a major barrier to “mainstream” EV adoption.
- Ideas floated: workplace and destination L2 charging, utility-pole chargers, apartment parking retrofits, and better slow-charger coverage where cars already sit.
Subsidies, taxation, and climate framing
- Some want cheap, subsidized charging funded by higher gas taxes; others oppose subsidies or taxes in general, arguing against state-led solutions.
- Debate over whether EVs alone can solve climate change vs. needing deeper changes (e.g., less car dependence, public transit, even questioning industrial civilization).
- Several stress that for mass adoption, EVs must remain clearly better—cheaper, more convenient, and more reliable—than ICE, not merely equivalent.