Florida has been a hotspot for EV drivers for a while. In fact, reports say it has the second-highest number of all-electric car owners in the country. Despite this, the state could soon fall behind in the number of level 2 EV chargers available. Of course, many people have home chargers, but a significant portion of drivers still rely on public chargers. This is happening in the state for one reason.
It’s common to need access to a level 2 electric charger in public
According to Inside EVs, 232,000 people in Flordia had an all-electric car at the end of 2023. As mentioned, this makes the state the second most popular place in the U.S. for EV drivers. However, as the U.S. Government seeks to invest in EV charging with the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, the powers at be in the state are saying no to funding.
The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program is a $5 billion bipartisan law that seeks to send funds to states in order to build new chargers for people with all-electric cars or plug-in hybrid options. In most cases, these would be level two chargers. Currently, Florida has $198 million set aside from the program.
It’s also important to note that many companies are eager to build new level 2 chargers for people with an all-electric car in the state. This even includes gas stations such as Buc-ee’s and Wawa. However, the Florida Department of Transportation has created a new website called Roads Are Not For Politics that seems to bash the advancement of the all-electric car.
Regarding the electric charger, Florida currently has about 9,000 public options. Of those, 6,800 are level 2 chargers. Despite Florida being the second most popular state for EV drivers, it’s not even among the top ten states to own one on most lists. This means the state needs the funding that’s already allocated to build new ports for EVs, but many are saying politics are getting in the way.
