The US now has nearly 9,000 public charging stations, with 704 new, public fast-charging stations switched on in the second quarter, an increase of 9 per cent in three months, according to a Bloomberg Green analysis of Department of Energy data.

If the rate continues, public fast-charging sites will outnumber petrol stations in the US in eight years. Bother retailers and petrol stations are adding chargers as the number of new EVs on US roads edges toward ten per cent.

In some ways the EV story is following the well-trod path of early adopters, some backlash, then acceptance (as the infrastructure catches up with the dream). The fact remains that, whatever adoption slowdowns there are, more drivers are going electric, and as they do the average charger is in use more, and as it is in use more it is more profitable.

Consultant Stable Auto sees high average utilisation rates across the US as EV adoption is growing beyond major cities and coastal areas, and reports that 18 states in the west, south, southeast, and northeast report average charger utilisation over 15 per cent, marking the point of profitability.

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