Equity and reliability of public electric vehicle charging stations in the United States

Abstract

Abstract Equitable coverage and reliable operation of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs) are crucial for a just transition to a carbon-free future. Yet, a comprehensive national analysis of public EVCSs across different communities is lacking in the United States. Here, we utilize real-world reviews (n = 470,142) from a user-generated content platform to analyze public EVCSs at the census tract level. We find that disadvantaged communities (DACs) have 64% fewer public EVCSs per capita than non-DACs. This disparity rises to 73% when considering renters in multi-dwelling units. Additionally, EVCS users in DACs and urban areas experience significantly more reliability issues compared to those in non-DACs and rural areas, primarily related to hardware and technical failures. Given the limited access to home charging in DACs and their underserved public infrastructure, these findings highlight critical equity concerns and call for targeted investment in EVCS infrastructure and reliability improvements, particularly in DACs.