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Federal and local leaders convened in Dallas on Tuesday to celebrate efforts aimed at increasing the presence of electric vehicles on North Texas roads.
Under Secretary of Transportation Carlos Monje announced $100 million in federal funding for Texas. A portion of this funding will be allocated to construct 100 new EV charging stations across North Texas, aligning with President Biden’s objective to establish a nationwide network of 500,000 charging stations by 2030.
“The future of the auto industry is electric, and the auto companies are moving in that direction. What we’re trying to do here is facilitate that transition,” stated U.S. Transportation Under Secretary Carlos Monje.
Automaker General Motors has committed to achieving full electrification by 2035. In a recent move, the company announced a $500 million investment in its Arlington assembly plant, known for producing gas-fueled SUVs. Despite this, the plant maintains a high productivity rate, producing a truck nearly every minute.
“The Arlington plant is one of the crown jewels of General Motors. They’re producing the kinds of vehicles that people want to buy,” remarked economy professor Mike Davis from SMU’s Cox School of Business.
Davis highlighted challenges facing the EV market, including the limited availability of charging stations and consumer apprehension.
“I think there’s still a significant reluctance to invest in an expensive vehicle when you’re unsure if you can use it the way you want to use your car,” noted Davis.
These challenges are being addressed collaboratively by the auto industry and the federal government.
“We’re not going to force anyone to do anything they don’t want to do. Over time, people will recognize the significant advantages of electric vehicles,” emphasized Monje.