Do You Suffer from ‘Range Anxiety?’ Apparently Some Drivers Do
We wondered it if had something to do with one's ability run long distances, or perhaps stressed out cattle on a ranch. Well, actually, it's something West-siders suffer from.
According to Governor Jay Inslee's office, 'Range Anxiety' will be alleviated within the next year or so, as the Washington State Department of Transportation plans to install more electric vehicle charging stations around the state.
According to Inslee's office, the state's 8,000 registered electric vehicles have a range of anywhere from 80 to 200 miles. That depends upon which car, and driving conditions and habits. Officials claim electric drivers get stressed, especially on long trips, because they don't know if they will be able to find a charging station to plug into.
The road trip from Seattle to Spokane might come to a screeching halt outside of George, or Ritzville, if the battery decides it's done. 'Are we there yet?'
So, this week the WSDOT announced a $1 million dollar grant to add more stations along the state's more heavily traveled highways. They are to be completed by June 2019. The 15 new stations will include I-90, and near the Tri-Cities. Most will be on the West side.
Inslee's goal by 2020 is to have 50,000 such vehicles running around our roads.