America is pushing for EVs. However, her citizens, some of them at least, aren’t quite there yet. To be clear, I’m not talking about those in densely populated urban areas. No, I’m talking about the rest of America. In fact, I see a growing trend, not just in the industry, but those in my immediate circle who are ready to make the EV switch. They aren’t worried about range anxiety or charging. They want to take advantage of tax incentives as well as do the right thing for the planet.

Rural areas are frought with range anxiety

However, those in rural areas, (aka the rest of the U.S.) are seriously concerned about EVs. Many, like Tom Beckett, interviewed recently by the BBC, say that the range still isn’t enough to beat range anxiety. Beckett used to drive trucks and busses for a living, claiming to have driven more than 2 million miles in his lifetime. If he says he’s got EV range anxiety, I trust him. Unfortunately, it isn’t just the range that’s an issue.

Take, for example, some family members of mine. They’ve done well. They’re retired and own their home. My family members can afford to get an EV charger installed and buy a new Tesla or whatever they like. But frankly, that isn’t a reality for much of rural America, which is historically poorer than the country’s more urban regions. These people would have to rely on public charging, which is a problem in and of itself, with the infrastructure barely being there in more developed areas.

Biden continues to push America towards an EV future

Despite that, President Biden continues to make the push for EV adoption en masse. Biden wants range anxiety to be a thing of the past, and he’s put effort into making that the case. As a part of his EV infrastructure plan, Biden has of course incorporated charging. However, per CNBC, it won’t be easy. First, there’s the power needs. Even in urban areas our grids simply don’t hold enough juice to power hundreds, no, thousands of cars charging at peak hours.

If that’s the case in major cities like LA and New York, how can we expect small rural towns like Como, Colorado, and its 70-odd residents to adapt? These people live 30 minutes from the nearest grocery store, on a good day. If there’s snow, forget it. How can we expect them to sit around at the store for another 30 minutes just to use the EV charger? Or do we expect them to take turns at a communal one? Of course, we can put chargers in everyone’s homes, but that takes us back to the already $2 trillion dollar plan and our power grid issues.

America’s citizens need confidence in their transport

It’s plain to see that range anxiety ain’t dead, and Americans, in some cases, simply cannot adopt EV life yet. Hell, some may not ever be able to in remote parts of the country (though the carbon impact of that is minimal). For right now, we’re stuck in the middle. Our leaders have told us this is the way forward while refusing to make headway on carbon taxing. It’s far more detrimental to our environment than driving gas cars, and I’ll personally eat my own hat if I see anyone, Republican or Democrat, make some real headway with it.