A few years in the past, the New Mexico Surroundings Division and NMDOT introduced the place the primary batch of Dieselgate cash was going. Whereas the state had quite a lot of tasks, dozens of web sites round New Mexico have been chosen for EV charging stations, together with DC quick charging websites all through the state.
However, issues since then have been irritating for EV drivers. Individuals who like to trace future charging stations (like me) checked out state paperwork and came upon (roughly) the place a lot of the stations have been alleged to go, after which added them to Plugshare. This will sound foolish on the floor, however including “coming quickly” stations to Plugshare helps potential EV consumers determine whether or not they need to take into account an EV or get a gas-powered automobile. In the event that they know charging infrastructure goes to occur, it might tip the choice in favor of an EV.
A few 12 months later (2021), I wrote an article excitedly sharing the story of upcoming Francis Vitality charging stations that might quickly present up at Allsup’s comfort shops all through the state. This may, in fact, assist folks kick their gasoline behavior, however with the little burritos the chain is understood for, the gasoline was coming again! However severely, it was nice information for one of many poorest states within the union that had such minimal charging infrastructure.
However, then nothing occurred for a 12 months. Folks have been getting more and more agitated on the lack of station constructing (a few stations in Carrizozo and Cline’s Corners are actually up), so I reached out to Francis Vitality and requested them what was happening. They informed me that COVID-related provide chain points stored them from ending out the installations. They hoped at that time to have a number of stations up by the tip of 2022, after which the remainder in 2023.
I went out to the closest future station to me in Alamogordo, New Mexico, and checked it out for myself. Allsup’s had constructed a completely new station, and had achieved the entire wiring for DC quick charging. They even had designated EV charging areas and every little thing, however with one very notable factor lacking: the stations themselves.
Now, it’s the final day of 2022, and the station building they hoped for hasn’t occurred. I did attain out to them once more, and so they informed me that offer points have been a continued drawback, however that we must always nonetheless anticipate the remainder of the stations to go surfing in 2023 as gear arrives.
Potential Good Information About These Delays
In November, I missed a bit of reports from NMDOT that sheds slightly extra gentle on a few of these stations (hat tip to ArtiePenguin1, a man who makes journey movies on YouTube, for pointing this out to me). DOT introduced one other spherical of Dieselgate funding for DC quick charging stations across the state, however with an attention-grabbing plot twist: a number of the stations have been getting funded a second time.
One actually benefit of the announcement is that it gave extra exact addresses for just a few of those second-round stations, which I used to be in a position to make use of to assist replace Plugshare’s info. Plus, I used to be in a position so as to add just a few new upcoming stations! Thrilling ones embody Cuba, NM, and Farmington, NM, which might open up a brand new path to the 4 Corners space. Many small cities in northern New Mexico are additionally slated to get speedy charging. One odd one is that Columbus, NM (sure, that small city that Pancho Villa invaded in 1916) is even getting one.
However, this leaves some open questions on why a bunch of those stations each seem within the 2020 announcement and the 2022 funding announcement. We all know it’s not simply the identical funding being introduced twice, as a result of there are new stations and previous ones that don’t seem twice. Plus, the finished stations don’t get a point out.
So, why would they get extra money for a similar stations? There are a number of potentialities.
The very best case situation is that they’re placing in both extra stations or quicker stations. It’s doable that the state needed to get these stations to NEVI requirements, or in different phrases, they needed these new stations to be compliant with the Infrastructure Invoice’s necessities (4x 150 kW stations). If that’s the case, that is nice information, as a result of previous Francis Vitality stations have solely been 2x 62 kW.
The center-of-the-road situation right here is that the stations are costing greater than anticipated, and the state didn’t initially give them sufficient cash to recover from the end line. If that’s the case, we’ll get precisely what we’ve been anticipating, in order that’s not a foul factor.
The worst case situation is that the NM state authorities is corrupt, inept, or in any other case simply provides folks cash for nothing. I’m not making that accusation, nevertheless it wouldn’t be unprecedented for contractors to double dip and get cash twice. This chance needed to be talked about to be thorough, however there’s completely nothing to point that’s occurring, and it’s extraordinarily unlikely.
I despatched an e-mail to Francis once more asking about what they’re doing with the second spherical of funds. I haven’t heard again but, however will most likely hear one thing in just a few days as soon as New Years’ is over with. I’ll publish one other article after we hear again and get extra info on what’s occurring with these new stations.
Journey Is Going To Be A lot Higher
Both means, it’s nice to see that New Mexico introduced a bunch of further upcoming websites across the state. Folks touring by ought to have a a lot simpler time touring by the state, and folks dwelling in NM may have a neater time contemplating an EV.
Most likely the most important information is that the US-550 hall from Albuquerque to Farmington goes to get some DCFC love. It’s not an interstate freeway, however with the Grand Canyon blocking up most of northern Arizona, it’s an essential hall for getting from New Mexico, Texas, and the South to Utah, Idaho, and the Pacific Northwest.
Featured picture by Jennifer Sensiba.
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