Delaware plans to locate 11 multi-car, fast-charging electric vehicle charging stations along major travel routes followed by an expansion of EV charging stations into residential communities over the next five years.
Under a recent plan jointly submitted by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), the agencies propose spending almost $18 million in federal money on a three-phase initiative to establish new vehicle charging stations along I-95, SR 1, U.S. 13, and U.S. 113. The plan also calls for locating stations in high-density residential areas, focusing on areas with multi-family housing and/or street parking in areas that may not otherwise have convenient charging options.
The operators and exact locations of the EV stations in the general identified areas would be chosen through a competitive process after additional planning and public input. EV drivers would pay for the use of the chargers.
Delaware's plan is part of the National Electrical Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program that aims to place 500,000 new EV charging stations across the country by 2030.
“Tailpipe emissions from our vehicles are the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions both here in Delaware and across the country," said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. "Making it easier for Delawareans to choose to drive electric is a key strategy in Delaware’s Climate Action Plan.”
DelDOT Secretary Nicole Majeski said installing charging stations here and around the country will increase consumer confidence that purchasing an electric vehicle is a practical choice, and is good for Delaware.
"They are not offering a choice to consumers, they are forcing them down a path," said State Rep. Rich Collins (R-Millsboro).
In early March, Governor John Carney announced that Delaware is joining 13 other states in adopting California’s Advanced Clean Car II initiative. Under that program's proposed regulations, the sale of traditionally fueled light-duty passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs would be rapidly scaled down starting with the 2026 model year, culminating with a total ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles in 2035.
"We continue to see elected officials forcing problematic electric vehicle technology onto a reluctant public based more on political ideology than sound science and rationality," Rep. Collins said.
As an example, he cites the fast charging stations the Carney administration plans to build. "According to the U.S. Transportation Department, fast chargers will still take 20 minutes to an hour to deliver an 80% charge," Rep. Collins said. "What kind of chaos will that produce at a Wawa at the beach on a summer weekend or any other high-traffic location?"
Rep. Collins said the performance of EV technology is also significantly inferior to gasoline and diesel vehicles in a variety of common situations. Especially relevant for downstate Delawareans, he said the range of an EV pick-up truck carrying a load or hauling a trailer pales in comparison to its traditional counterpart.
"There are other huge issues that have not been addressed, such as the sourcing of the materials needed for battery manufacturing, disposing or recycling vehicle batteries on a massive scale, the consumer cost of replacing batteries, and the limitations of the power grid to support hundreds-of-thousands of Delawareans simultaneously recharging their cars when they get home at night.
"We should be allowing consumers to voluntarily purchase EVs as they wish, allowing this technology to naturally mature and advance," Rep. Collins said. "Instead, we're seemingly barreling down the road of good intentions without a firm handle on what's waiting for us at the end of the ride."
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