North Carolina plans to spend $50,000 to dump public electric vehicle chargers. car and driver shared the news of a bill being moved through the state legislature. The bill, House Bill 1049, would provide $50,000 to get rid of free public EV chargers unless free gas pumps are built next to the free public EV chargers.
The author of car and driver article, Ezra Dyer noted that this happened in his state. Ben Moss, his future House Representative, is sponsoring the bill. Dyer noted that there are three free Tier 2 public EV charging stations in his city, and unless the cities and towns refuse to build free gasoline and diesel pumps next to the EV charging stations, Moss wants them gone. Dyer wrote that the main theme of the bill is:
“We just have to do something about these free public chargers, even if it costs us $50,000! These things cost tens of cents an hour to use.”
House Bill 1049 targets small businesses that offer free public charging for electric vehicles
Free public charging is an amazing part of owning an electric vehicle. You don’t see free gas anywhere! pic.twitter.com/7PefTLOS4p
— Zack (@BLKMDL3) December 11, 2020
It gets worse. House Bill 1049 also targets businesses that have free public electric vehicle charging stations on their property. This will hurt small businesses. The bill will allow diesel and gas vehicle owners to fight back if any amount of money from the product they buy is used towards the cost of charging customers for free electric vehicles.
The bill states that all customer receipts must show what portion of the bill went for the charger on the property.
My 2.5 cents
Of course I have some thoughts on this. The bill itself is not about the state losing money by allowing electric vehicle owners to charge for free. It seems to me that the bill is more about reinforcing the myth that electric vehicle owners get free electricity while petrol and diesel car owners suffer at the pump.
And yes, they are suffering, but blaming EV owners is wrong. That blame should be placed on the oil and gas companies that are profiting from the insane price gouging. Again, it’s not about money. It’s about fossil fuels.
Why else spend $50,000 just to throw away EV chargers? If Moss really cared that gas car drivers didn’t benefit from free energy, fuel vouchers would be a better alternative. I’m sure $50,000 will help many families who are struggling.
I think that money will be used to not only dump free public EV charging stations, but the drama that ensues will create more EV FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt). It’s a waste of money, and I hope so for North Carolina. For the sake of it, the state doesn’t pass the pointless law.
