With New York and the federal government partnering to fund 325 new electric-vehicle charging stations statewide, Dana Rubinstein asks if this investment will be enough to persuade East Coasters to start buying EVs in droves.
If the northeast region's relative lack of interest in electric cars can be attributed to the dreaded "rage anxiety" caused by a lack of charging stations (California currently has 1,200, or a thousand more than New York), than the plan recently announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo could make electric-car ownership in New York "less frightening," writes Rubinstein.
Admittedly, the $4.4 million cost of the project isn't "a particularly large public commitment." But, argues Rubinstein, "it does represent the sort of infrastructure investment that's going to be necessary to popularize electric cars, or at least make them more commercially feasible for manufacturers and, in turn, cheaper for consumers."
"The more chargers you put out there, the more comfortable people are with driving their vehicles longer range," said Colin Read, vice-president for a company that is deploying more than 12,000 chargers nationwide.
"But, he also said, 'In reality we need cars on the road to justify putting chargers out there.'"
FULL STORY: With state-funded charging stations, Cuomo gives electric cars a modest push toward critical mass

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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