Consistent with the prevailing worldwide pattern, the United States finds itself at a pivotal moment in terms of tackling carbon reduction objectives and progressing towards a society that is both decarbonized and egalitarian. The transportation industry is the primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and a very successful strategy for mitigating global climate change involves transforming mobility patterns by adopting electric vehicles. In sync with the same, EVs in the United States have become the hottest talking point.
EVs in the United States: Why People Need to Opt for Them
Electrifying US transportation is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, local air pollution, and economic and environmental advantages. Lifecycle emissions of EVs are currently less than half of those of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and will decrease dramatically as the US electrical supply depends more on clean and renewable resources. The US must reach net zero emissions by 2050 to accomplish the Paris Climate Goals it reaffirmed. Electric vehicles can be crucial here.
New technology is encouraging the adoption of EVs in the United States
New electric car technology and major infrastructural expenditures in the United States are making headlines. Federal and state policies, car acceptance, and public and private fleet electrification have improved. The sector has received considerable private and public financing and strong marketing and communications. Nearly all major automakers have pledged to phase out ICE vehicles in 10–15 years.
50% of US new car sales will be EVs in the United States by 2030
DNV predicts that 50% of US new car sales will be EVs by 2030 in its 2021 Energy Transition Outlook (ETO). California saw 12.5% of new light-duty vehicle registrations be plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in 2021, signaling that customers want EVs. Next highest were the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon, each with over 7% PEV registrations. Over 134,000 Level II and DCFC public charging outlets are in the US. From 2020 to 2021, Electrify America observed a 400% increase in charging sessions, saving 5.7 million gallons of petrol.
The coming 5 years will witness a paradigm shift in the landscape of EVs
Coupled with an immense focus on public infrastructure through the Biden Administration’s Investment and Infrastructure Jobs Acts (IIJA) has allocated:
- $5 billion for DCFC along alternative fuel corridors
- $2.5 billion for competitive grants for communities and corridors
- $5 billion for school bus electrification
- $500 million for EV battery recycling and second-life applications, and
- Electric utilities investing $3
EV infrastructure programs, in the coming 5 years will witness a paradigm shift in the landscape of EVs and the ability to charge them.
The rising battery volumetric energy density
- The Department of Energy has reported that battery volumetric energy density rose more than 400% from 2008 to 2020
- This allows an EV to go the same distance with a smaller battery pack, reducing space, weight, and manufacturing costs
- Despite this exciting market trend to bring EVs to US homes and businesses, supply chain interruptions from the COVID-19 epidemic, the Ukraine conflict, and the US’s outdated electrical infrastructure pose hurdles.
Important activities and components to manage the collective energy transition
DNV has identified several important activities and components to manage the collective energy transition with EVs to capitalize on and guarantee the EV revolution meets the US’s economic, environmental, and equality goals:
- Partnerships with activists, business leaders, and trades to enable demand-driven education and workforce development
- Finding and working with varied local companies to spread the EV revolution’s economic advantages
- Boosting the pre-owned EV market for equal access to cheaper EVs
- Educating consumers about EV benefits and encouraging them to charge their cars at the lowest cost and least polluting time of day
- Working with local, state, and federal organizations to standardize codes, laws, and standards and streamline them to reduce EV adoption hurdles
- Assessing EV adoption forecasts and optimizing EV infrastructure countrywide to guarantee all EVs have easy access to charging
- Enabling ChargePoint operators to communicate to improve customer service at public level II and DCFC installations
- Optimizing charging possibilities using car telematics and EV infrastructure data
- Making robust programs with utilities and carefully building up EVSE to prevent stranded assets
- Creating utility tariff structures that encourage users to charge at convenient times and participate in load flexibility initiatives
- Working with grid operators to plan for rapid EV load growth and dispatch clean, dependable energy
- Engaging and assisting public and private fleet operators with transportation electrification advantages
- Unlocking new business models for on-bill financing, CaaS, and other subscription-based finance mechanisms to minimize EV infrastructure and fleet electrification costs
- Working with institutional investors and private equity to capitalize on the EV revolution will help EV and EVSE firms grow
- Providing modern battery testing facilities to ensure battery and infrastructure safety and performance
- Understanding the lifespan impact of EVs and developing a secondary market for EV batteries for social benefit.
Strategic and equitable EV revolution planning
Strategic and equitable EV revolution planning is essential given the enthusiasm, increasing technology, market awareness, and incoming finance. The public and private sectors will have enormous possibilities to revolutionize the US EV sector. And, it will happen in the next five to 10 years. What will continue to shape the EV revolution in the United States include:
- Program design and implementation
- EV program evaluation and market studies
- Grid integration analysis
- Fleet electrification advisory
- Technical and commercial diligence, and
- Battery testing expertise.
Concluding Remarks
US electric cars (EVs) combine innovation, environmental consciousness, and economic transformation. Traditional car technologies are less efficient and less clean than EVs, which help the nation become more sustainable. Battery technology and climate change awareness are driving EV adoption at record rates. EV performance depends on lithium-ion batteries, which have improved energy density, charging speed, and cost. These advances have made EVs more accessible, increasing market share and reducing transportation’s carbon footprint.
Government incentives and policies drive this growth. Federal and state subsidies and incentives have increased EV sales and investment. Manufacturers must prioritize electric models due to greenhouse gas emission regulations, promoting innovation and competitiveness. Additionally, EV infrastructure is changing. Fast-charging stations on nationwide charging networks reduce range anxiety and simplify electric transportation. Businesses and governments are investing extensively in this infrastructure, using renewable energy to lessen environmental impact.
Traditional automakers and startups are investing billions in EV R&D, transforming the industry. This money is supporting autonomous driving and networking innovations that are changing driving. EV manufacturing, software development, and renewable energy jobs boost the economy. The electric revolution addresses environmental challenges and enhances economic and technical advancement. US EVs show creativity and sustainability. EVs will make transportation greener, more efficient, and networked as technology improves and infrastructure increases. The momentum makes the US a global electric mobility leader.
