In what can only be described as bizarre, Representative Keith Kidwell introduced a new North Carolina bill that is taking aim at free electric vehicle (EV) charging.
The proposed bill “Equitable Free Vehicle Fuel Stations” is an interesting approach, but one that is deeply flawed.
It aims to equalize the treatment of EV owners and gasoline or diesel vehicle owners by providing the same benefits to both groups.
Additionally, any business that provides free charging needs to let their customers know how much of their bill is subsidizing the free EV charging because “every customer needs to know what those freeloading EV drivers are getting because of your contribution to the restaurant’s coffers.”
The bill would see:
- Any person who is engaged in a business where electric vehicle charging stations are provided for use by the public at no charge shall ensure that each customer of the business, without regard to whether the customer uses the charging stations, is informed of, on the receipt for purchases, the percentage of the amount of the customer’s total purchase price that is a result of the business providing electric vehicle charging stations at no charge.
- Secondly, it would ensure that the North Carolina Department of Transport (NC DOT) cannot provide free charging at any location on land owned or leased by the state unless the NC DOT or the person leasing the land “provides gasoline and diesel fuel for motor vehicles through a pump to the public at no charge.”
- Finally, it would also provide NC DOT with $50,000 to remove any electric vehicle charging stations that do not comply with the provisions of the act.
At the end of the day, this bill is ridiculous. However, it is a perfect representation of some of the barriers still facing zero-emission vehicle adoption today.
According to pundits, this bill does not have the support to pass at the moment. But things can change quickly at the State level.
