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San Diego in need for more electric vehicle charging stations

The EV Charging Association is pushing back on a mandate for fast charging stations built after January 1, 2022.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — If you own an electric vehicle, you’re probably familiar with the term "range anxiety." That’s when you worry about finding the next charging station. Now, there’s push back on a state mandate for charging stations.

The EV Charging Association along with other partners sent the California Air Resource Board a letter to reconsider requiring fast chargers built after January 2022 to include a credit card chip reader.

They say that will cost $3 billion over the next decade and be passed on to consumers and taxpayers.

“Where the credit industry is going, you are either doing that through an app or touchless credit card so why would we not have a regulation that fits where we are going in the future,” said Dan Howells, with EV Charging Association.

Around San Diego, News 8 found the Tesla super charging station on Balboa and Genesee a popular place.

“It's not like that in Arizona, we actually have more charging stations that are readily available along the road,” said Vicki Beveridge, a Tesla driver.

The City of San Diego has 15 EV charging locations and more are across the county.

The California Energy Commission estimates 1.2 million charging stations will be needed by 2030.

“Especially along the freeway where people travel,” said Terrance Green, a Tesla driver.

It costs about $10 for a full Tesla charge and a little more at home. Tesla is building a super charging station in the Vons parking lot at Scripps Poway Parkway.

“I think the more the better and I think when people know about this it will bring huge crowds to the center,” said Cynthia Laudenslager, a Tesla driver.

Despite the waits, the growing pains are worth it for EV drivers.

“Absolutely, I wouldn't want anything else,” said Green.

The governor set a goal of ending the sale of gasoline vehicles by the end of 2035.

WATCH RELATED: San Diego's top stories for Oct. 8, 2021 at 6 p.m. 

 




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