D.C. announced plans to build four fast-charging stations for electric vehicles and says more are on the way.
News4 visited one publicly available charging station and found every charger was in use, leaving some EV owners zapped for energy.
"I wish that the District would have more chargers within the city," EV driver Lauren Powell said.
The D.C. Council passed legislation to add many more charging stations in the city. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced grant money for private companies that want to build fast charging stations on their property.
Four new fast-charging stations are planned near gas stations. They're set to be on:
- 40th Street NE
- 14th Street SE
- Brentwood Road NE
- Alabama Avenue SE
"This is really the first step to building an enormous network. We already have fast chargers at a lot of supermarkets,” DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum told News4. “But to meet the demand, because there are so many people buying electric vehicles, which is wonderful, we need to really expand the network.”
DDOT plans to have at least one fast-charging station available in each ward in the coming years.
Powell, who has owned a Tesla for five years, recommended EVs despite occasional charging challenges.
“Do it. Clean, green energy. An amazing opportunity to be green, and no gas,” she said.