Bellingham, Washington, which lies 21 miles south of the U.S.-Canada border, set out last year to build 90 EV (electric vehicle) plugs in 26 locations. Now, the city says it is working on ensuring all its new charging stations are operational.
Other cities throughout Washington State have been working on their EV construction projects, including Newport, a city bordering the Idaho panhandle; Oroville, a small town in the central north; and Tumwater, a city near the state capital of Olympia, as part of a broader climate commitment by the state of Washington.
Such commitments may help assuage a key concern regarding EVs, including among Washingtonian government officials: access to charging infrastructure. According to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration (EVC) Study, 52 % of Americans who rejected the possibility of adopting electric vehicles cited concerns regarding the availability of charging stations. Those with long commutes were especially unlikely to consider an EV due to “range anxiety,” the fear of depleting charge on a long drive.
Still, Washingtonians’ concerns may be warranted. Across the nation, approximately 19 % of charging stations visited by EV drivers could not be used, according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Public Charging Study, compared to 20 % in 2023.
In other news, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s string of recent controversies, and with Tesla’s Cybertruck hitting the streets in affluent communities — such as here in Sammamish — the most famous EV company’s reputation has taken a hit, obscuring other developments in the field.
Asked about what they thought of recent developments in EV technology, one Skyline senior had only three words to say:
“I hate Teslas,” she told The Forum.
Here is some additional reading:
Public EV Charging Sees Consistent Progress for Two Consecutive Quarters
Washington Is Building Hundreds of EV Chargers, but Is It Enough?”
Central Washington Faces Challenges, Opportunities with Growing Renewable Tech Industry
More Cities in Western WA Installing Taxpayer-Funded EV Charging Stations.
Lack of EV Chargers Dogging Washington Agency’s Electrification Efforts
