https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/13/23871857/ev-charger-broken-fix-biden-usdot-funding-infrastructure Skip to main content The Verge logo.The Verge homepage * The Verge homepageThe Verge logo./ * Tech/ * Reviews/ * Science/ * Entertainment/ * MoreMenu The Verge logo. Menu * Electric Cars/ * Cars/ * Transpo The Biden administration approves $100 million to fix the nation's broken EV chargers The Biden administration approves $100 million to fix the nation's broken EV chargers / Over 6,000 EV chargers, or about 4 percent of the total number, are "temporarily unavailable," according to the government's database. By Andrew J. Hawkins, transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State. Sep 13, 2023, 4:32 PM UTC| Share this story * * * Electrify America EV charging station Photo by Andrew Hawkins / The Verge EV owners fed up with the often broken, discombobulated charging experience in the US are about to get a lifeline from the federal government. The US Department of Transportation is authorizing $100 million to "repair and replace existing but non-operational, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure." The investment comes from a $7.5 billion pot of money for EV charging that was approved as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The department has already approved around $1 billion for the installation of thousands of new EV chargers along major highways in the US. Broken EV chargers remain a major barrier to broader EV adoption. And it tends to mar the experience of owning an EV, as many EV owners told JD Power earlier this year in a survey. Overall satisfaction with EV charging in the US has dropped year over year, the market research firm reports, and is now at its lowest level ever. Even Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is not immune to the struggles of finding a working EV charger. According to The Wall Street Journal, Buttigieg has had difficulty charging his family's hybrid minivan while out on the road. "We've definitely had that experience," Buttigieg told the Journal. According to the Energy Department's database of public EV chargers, around 6,261 of the 151,506 public charging ports were reported "temporarily unavailable" -- or 4.1 percent of the total number. A charger can be identified as temporarily unavailable for several reasons, ranging from routine maintenance to power issues. The new funds will likely cover the repair or replacement costs "of all eligible projects," USDOT says, adding that the money will be awarded through "a streamlined application process" that includes both publicly and privately owned chargers -- "so long as they are available to the public without restriction." Most Popular 1. Lightning was great, actually ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Bike tires made from NASA's bizarre shape-shifting metal are now available to buy ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Developers fight back against Unity's new pricing model ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Destiny 2 has one of the worst bugs in its history that's melting bosses and PvP players ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Media mogul Byron Allen offers $10 billion to acquire ABC from Disney ----------------------------------------------------------------- Verge Deals / Sign up for Verge Deals to get deals on products we've tested sent to your inbox daily. Email (required)[ ]Sign up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. From our sponsor Advertiser Content FromSponsor logo Sponsor thumbnail More from this stream All the news about EV charging in the US * Ford, Honda, and BMW create a new vehicle-to-grid company to help EV owners save money Sep 12, 2023, 7:41 PM UTC * Tesla will install up to 20,000 versatile EV chargers at Hilton locations Sep 7, 2023, 8:13 PM UTC * Chevy's recalling Bolt EUV chargers that could shock you. Sep 7, 2023, 3:48 PM UTC * Honda adopts Tesla's charging port for future EVs Sep 7, 2023, 1:23 PM UTC See all 58 stories The Verge logo. * Terms of Use * Privacy Notice * Cookie Policy * Do Not Sell Or Share My Personal Info * Licensing FAQ * Accessibility * Platform Status * How We Rate and Review Products * Contact * Tip Us * Community Guidelines * About * Ethics Statement The Verge is a vox media network * Advertise with us * Jobs @ Vox Media (c) 2023 Vox Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved