Daily EV news · US · 14 August 2026

A JD Power study released on 12 August 2026 found that only 12 per cent of EV drivers encountered nonfunctional DC fast chargers in the previous nine months, marking an all time low for the US market. The 2026 US Electric Vehicle Experience Public Charging Study attributes the reliability gains to network expansion deploying newer, more robust charging hardware. Previous JD Power research identified fast charging network unreliability as the leading barrier to EV consideration among new vehicle shoppers.

Why it matters: An 88 per cent operational rate for DC fast chargers signals maturing infrastructure that may reduce procurement risk and support stronger business cases for CPOs expanding networks. The data also suggests that reliability focused hardware specifications and maintenance protocols are delivering measurable uptime improvements across the US charging estate.

Lassen Municipal Utility District (LMUD) in California has approved a $1.2 million project to install multiple EV charging stations at 50 N. Gay St. in Historic Uptown Susanville. The project will be funded by approximately $883,000 from California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) Program and a $300,000 Carl Moyer Program grant from Lassen County Air Pollution Control District. The LMUD Board of Directors approved the infrastructure proposal and quote during its 28 July meeting.

Why it matters: The project demonstrates how US municipal utilities can leverage state environmental programmes to fund public charging infrastructure without ratepayer burden. The combination of LCFS revenue and air quality grants offers a replicable funding model for smaller districts seeking to expand EV charging access in underserved areas.

New York City's Department of Citywide Administrative Services and NYC Public Schools have opened the city's first solar canopy EV charging station at the Michael J. Petrides School on Staten Island, featuring six Level 2 charging ports. The project, funded with more than 250,000 dollars in sustainable fleet infrastructure investment, is the first completed under Local Law 63 enacted in 2024, which mandates solar canopy pilot programmes in city controlled parking lots across all five boroughs. The installation expands the city's municipal EV charging network to more than 2,600 individual charging ports, supporting a fleet of 5,970 electric vehicles, the largest municipal network in the state.

Why it matters: The project demonstrates how US municipalities are combining solar infrastructure with EV charging mandates to scale public fleet electrification, offering a procurement model for other cities seeking to meet decarbonisation targets. With New York City now operating the state's largest municipal charging network, the solar canopy rollout under Local Law 63 signals sustained capital deployment and replicable site opportunities for charging and solar contractors across the five boroughs.

The Florida Department of Transportation is reallocating 200 million dollars originally earmarked for car charging stations to build 32 landing pads with charging infrastructure for electric aircraft carrying two to four passengers, at 5.6 million dollars each. The funds come from the Federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) programme, which typically covers 80 per cent of charging infrastructure costs, with Florida offering to cover the remaining 20 per cent for participating flying car companies. Planned locations include airports, luxury apartments, golf courses and military bases, with Florida joining seven other US states in real world testing of advanced air mobility systems.

Why it matters: The decision removes a substantial pool of federal NEVI funding from ground based EV charging deployment in a major US state, potentially slowing network expansion and altering competitive dynamics for charge point operators and installers who had anticipated access to those dollars. It also signals a policy shift where states may prioritise emerging transport modes over conventional EV infrastructure, creating uncertainty for procurement pipelines tied to federal programmes.