An estimated 14 million electric vehicles were purchased globally in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency, but EV owners say they are facing challenges when it comes to charging.

In the United States, six in 10 Americans live within two miles of a public charging station, but many of those stations are in densely populated cities, not the rural areas between them.

“I just hope that the infrastructure gets a bit better. Sometimes you find charging stations that don't work or there are not many charging stations,” said Bruno Melo. He stopped to charge at a New York State Welcome Center on his way to Letchworth State Park, but the charger available was too heavy for his Tesla and would not fit.

Charging stations are primarily funded privately, but their accessibility relies on collaboration between private and public funding according to the International Energy Agency. 

On Feb. 6, President Donald Trump suspended a $5 billion initiative to install EV charging stations, stopping states from spending money from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program.

Federal funding is what worried Maureen Schumacher about her new purchase.

“I don't trust that the infrastructure for charging them across the country, if we're traveling, whether it’s going to be maintained,” she said while charging her Chevy Equinox. 

Schumacher said she had no plans to buy an EV until she walked into the dealership last month. 

“I got to tell you, the rebates for federal and state and companywide EVs right now are so good that this was cheaper than the regular,” she said.

In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced $4.85 million in grants to municipalities for building charging stations.

Those include:

Capital Region

  • City of Rensselaer - $233,000 for one DCFC pedestal

Finger Lakes

  • Village of Brockport - $188,825 for 10 Level 2 charging ports and one DCFC pedestal
  • Village of Dundee - $24,200 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • Town of Farmington - $225,620 for 24 Level 2 charging ports and one DCFC pedestal
  • Town of Huron - $43,200 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • Village of Interlaken - $124,470 for one DCFC pedestal
  • Village of Le Roy - $20,605 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • Village of Oakfield - $24,380 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • County of Ontario - $309,100 for 14 Level 2 charging ports and two DCFC pedestals
  • Village of Palmyra - $222,250 for two DCFC pedestals
  • Village of Warsaw - $148,500 for one DCFC pedestal
  • Village of Waterloo - $238,900 for 12 Level 2 charging ports

Long Island

  • Town of Huntington - $326,000 for four Level 2 charging ports and six DCFC pedestals
  • City of Long Beach - $296,080 for four Level 2 charging ports and two DCFC pedestals

Mid-Hudson

  • Town of Hyde Park - $32,480 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • Town of Orangetown - $46,352 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • Town of Putnam Valley - $29,822 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • Town of Shawangunk - $26,587 for two Level 2 charging ports
  • Village of South Blooming Grove - $250,000 for three DCFC pedestals

North Country

  • Town of Colton - $76,318 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • Village of Constableville - $21,222 for two Level 2 charging ports
  • Town of Diana - $159,150 for one DCFC pedestal
  • County of Essex - $55,008 for four Level 2 charging ports
  • Town of Jay - $206,403 for two Level 2 charging ports and one DCFC pedestal
  • County of Lewis - $298,728 for two DCFC pedestals
  • Village of Lowville - $93,312 for 12 Level 2 charging ports
  • Village of Saranac Lake - $482,164 for 30 Level 2 charging ports

Southern Tier

  • Town of Danby - $11,400 for two Level 2 charging ports

Western New York

  • City of Dunkirk - $53,400 for 14 Level 2 charging ports
  • Village of Springville - $248,000 for one DCFC pedestal
  • Town of Tonawanda - $285,007 for 16 Level 2 charging ports and one DCFC pedestal
  • Village of Wilson - $49,648 for two Level 2 charging ports