In the USA, after the approval of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (the law allocating $5 billion to states for the installation of fast DC charging stations), the discussion about the use of these funds has started. Among the lobbying actions, the American RV Industry Association, in collaboration with the engineering firm Black and Veatch, stands out for ensuring that the funds are used to create more pull-through charging sites suitable for large electric campers.
The two organizations have published a comprehensive report that looks at the current state of affairs and, above all, at the future of these vehicles and the growing needs of consumers. “Our team is working to ensure that motorhomes are not left behind during the transition to electric vehicles,” said Jason Rano, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Association.
You need to create charging stations for all electric vehicles
The need to create charging stations for all electric vehicles is highlighted in the document. It points out that almost all currently available public charging infrastructures feature traditional front parking charging stations, which are not suitable for a growing category of vehicles, such as electric campers towing trailers, electric-assist trailers, and other medium and heavy-duty electrified vehicles (buses and vans).
To include these categories in the ecological transition, it is necessary to make charging stations accessible to these vehicles, especially considering the models that will be launched on the market in a few years. For this reason, the RV Industry Association asks that part of the federal funding be invested in the implementation of pull-through charging stations, which provide better access to vehicles towing trailers because they offer ample space to move around a vehicle that may require more time to charge. They also allow vehicles to exit the station without backing up and without the need to uncouple the trailer to fit within the charging area (operations that create congestion and safety concerns at the charging site).
35 million electric vehicles on the road in 2030
The lobbying effort takes place in a context of significant change in the United States, where the goal of substantial investments for electrification is to have 50% of all new vehicles sold in 2030 with zero emissions. According to the predictions for 2030, as mentioned in the published document, there will be 35 million electric vehicles on the roads, requiring the presence of 500,000 public charging stations, including 50,000 fast DC chargers.
According to the study authors, investing now is essential not to slow down the electrification of commercial vehicles and not to hinder the development of new products. It is also economically convenient as it avoids having to intervene later with costly but inevitable modifications to the current charging stations.
The study also highlights the additional benefits that states would experience by investing in charging stations capable of accommodating medium and large motorhomes and vehicles towing electrified trailers: first, increased business activity and revenue from road-traveling owners of these vehicles; then, more efficient use of front charging infrastructure; and a faster transition of commercial fleets to electric vehicles, leading to more rapid progress towards climate goals.
