ROCK HILL, S.C. — As the country moves to add more electric vehicle charging stations, one could be coming to a place near you. All 50 states submitted plans to the federal government detailing how they will install chargers, covering about 75,000 miles of highway across America.
In South Carolina, charging stations could go up in Rock Hill along I-77. According to a plan the state submitted, Rock Hill has around 12 sites to charge electric vehicles.
The Biden Administration is trying to get more people to buy electric cars, but without more chargers, some drivers worry about long-distance travel.
“There is a fear factor out there," Anthony Grande, an electric vehicle owner, said. "This one thing that comes up when people ask about the vehicle itself is, Don't you fear going on a long trip?"
That’s why the federal government is allocating $1.5 billion toward building. Every state had to submit a plan to get the money. South Carolina was approved to receive $25 million.
Duke Energy says it is ready to help south Carolina implement its plan.
“What we want to do with the states is to create that network so when people are out on the road they know that from point A to point B, they’re going to have a place to charge their vehicle," Logan Kureczka, Duke Energy's lead communications manager, said.
It's still unclear exactly where the chargers will go. Next year, agencies will start a public outreach effort, giving residents a chance to weigh in on what they’d like to see.
President Biden has made it a goal for half of all new cars sold in 2030 to be zero-emissions vehicles.
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.