WA State’s EV Charging System Works at Only 78 Percent Rate, Says Study

According to data from the Harvard Business School shows WA state badly lacking in EV infrastructure. Now, there's even more dire news.

 On average stations only work 78 percent of the time

The study examines charging infrastructure across the nation, and found just over 1 in 5 charging efforts fail. It also found wide swings in pricing at various charging locations.

With WA State's ban on fossil fueled ban on sale or registration such vehicles looming in 2030, the state is far behind the charging need.

Of the estimated 64,000 charging stations nationally, they only work 78 percent of the time, according to The Center Square:

"The Harvard study also noted a lack of public charging ports in regions of Washington such as Ferry County, where the county's only existing public charging port has been removed. It's a problem the Harvard study attributes to a lack of EV car sales. 

The one in five failure rate could prove to be a logistical challenge for the state EV Coordinating Council, which is tasked with creating the electrification strategy for the state’s transportation sector, with public charging ports a key aspect of that strategy."

Another issue plaguing the EV sector is vandalism. According to state data, by way of The Center Square, repairing charging stations cost WA taxpayers $1.5 million in 2023. That's just WA DOT figures.

Get our free mobile app

According to wacities.org, there are 281 municipalities  in WA deemed to be cities or towns. Of those according to chargehub.com, there are charging stations in only 125 of them.