North Carolina seeks to ban or penalize free charging

[Maquis]

I have to agree with you, if NC will give me a free charge when I get my Mach E why shouldn't I also get free gasoline at taxpayer expense?

Government policy is often used to try and influence citizen behavior. That behavior should be such that it contributes to the common good. In this case, taxpayer-supplied electrons, but no taxpayer-supplied petroleum attempts to tilt the decision to purchase a car in favor of an EV. Is the actual effect on the desired result worth the cost of implementing? Who knows?

The problems with such policies include special interest influences, unfairness, and unintended consequences.

I‘d rather see every rest area equipped with DCFCs that I pay to use, and what I pay covers the costs.

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[nvabill]

I‘d rather see every rest area equipped with DCFCs that I pay to use, and what I pay covers the costs.

Agreed

 

[kennethjk]

Several states are giving state sales tax holidays on gasoline. I am sure that there are state taxes on electricity deliveries. Wonder if the state is doing the same for electricity.

a lot of inconstancies in government. Government is always doing things to sway businesses. Just look at the tax code and investment tax credits or accelerated depreciation on certain types of assets for certain types of businesses.

my next question is, does NC have rest stops that supply both EV chargers and have gas stations?

NY and NJ do but haven’t noticed them in the parts of NC I have driven thru.

 

[VaderMachE]

Yes, put DCFC chargers at rest stops so that Billy bigrig can ice it. Maybe even "roll coal" while you're charging.

Sounds like oil and gas have a good grip on NC, and they already get your tax dollars by way "subsidies" to the tune of Billions.

I don't have an issue paying for fast charge. I also think it would be great to have more level two chargers available at both public and private areas. (We have this in our city)

But hey NC, you do you

 

[silverelan]

Seems like something that’s just begging for malicious compliance.

can’t give away electricity? Fine. The fee is $0.01 and it’s on the honor system. The “take one/leave one” penny dish at the register handles the bookkeeping.

 

[VaderMachE]

This works, my Mach E directed us to this charger while visiting in a near by area. We charged for free, and wandered their town... spending money while there.

https://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw-...stations-are-installed-and-ready-for-use.html

 

[Logal727]

It’s funny seeing poor people concerned about handouts to the “rich” when it comes to EVs but yet the always vote against their own interests and ignore the theft by the real 1% from taxpayers

 

[kltye]

It’s funny seeing poor people concerned about handouts to the “rich” when it comes to EVs but yet the always vote against their own interests and ignore the theft by the real 1% from taxpayers

Yup let's squabble over several (tens? hundreds? thousands?) dollars, while the 1% laugh all the way to their millions/billions in their bank accounts.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

The Petroleum Industry is the most heavily subsidized industry in the world,. And people are worrying about “giving away electricity?” Physician, heal thy self.

 

[Logal727]

Yup let's squabble over several (tens? hundreds? thousands?) dollars, while the 1% laugh all the way to their millions/billions in their bank accounts.

Yeah if I’m plugged in at a rest stop, I’d use what, $1 worth of power, and basically zero if that charger has any sort of solar system, which most of these systems use credits for. Maybe if gas was as cheap as electricity they would put free gas pumps there!

 

[leeman]

That is just bad politics

 

[TRP]

Did anyone read this part of the article? Sounds like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.


We allege the state is at war with itself because elsewhere in the North Carolina state legislature, politicians sponsored a bill to punish anyone who blocks an EV charger, including unplugged EVs, other reps touted the commercial opportunities in charging station manufacturing, and the state has been talking up how it will prepare for the needs of EV infrastructure.

 

[Logal727]

Did anyone read this part of the article? Sounds like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.


We allege the state is at war with itself because elsewhere in the North Carolina state legislature, politicians sponsored a bill to punish anyone who blocks an EV charger, including unplugged EVs, other reps touted the commercial opportunities in charging station manufacturing, and the state has been talking up how it will prepare for the needs of EV infrastructure.

It’s almost like one side is for EVs and one side is irrationally against them, wonder which is which

 

[Glen Boise]

It is curious that they propose providing any charging at rest areas. Indiana DOT is not considering rest area charging sites, because Federal regulations, for the funding that built interstate rest areas, forbid providing any competition to commercial gas stations, like we see at toll road rest areas. If you cannot provide for refueling gasoline vehicles, then you cannot provide refueling for EVs. After all, a charger and a gas pump do the same thing. They refuel vehicles, using different technologies.
Nothing in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) calls for "free charging". The FHWA BIL guidance encourages contracting with commercial suppliers to provide the charging services. It mentions permitting subsidizing low volume stations, but the whole tone of the FHWA guidance assumes payment for the services rendered. Something which, for interstates, is provided within a mile of interstate interchanges. How many rest areas are within one mile of an interchange?
In addition, rest areas are poor places for charging. They only serve travelers through a community. Rest areas do not serve visitors to communities or residents of the community. You need locations at the interchanges. You will get "more bang for the buck"/public benefits by investing in DC Fast Charging near interchanges.
The various state DOTs need to get out of their standard "highway improvement" view point. They need to adopt an "economic development" view point like that is used to subsidize industries for public purposes (tax abatement's, training grants, road and infrastructure improvements, and even free/low cost land). The BIL provides funding for investing in DC Fast Charging in our communities for public purposes.
Some one has not done their homework at NCDOT, or this bill is inspired by more Big Oil fearmongering.

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