The Biden administration is once again in the hot seat as criticism mounts over the painfully slow rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the U.S. Despite having a massive $7.5 billion budget specifically allocated for this purpose, progress has been underwhelming. During a recent appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the mounting frustration. Host Margaret Brennan pointedly noted that only “seven or eight” EV charging stations have been installed since the funds were authorized—raising serious questions about how the money is being used and why things are taking so long.
The ambitious plan to modernize America’s EV infrastructure was first introduced under President Joe Biden as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Later, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act added more fuel to the fire, offering additional tax breaks to encourage both the purchase of EVs and the installation of charging stations. Together, these initiatives were supposed to jumpstart a nationwide expansion of electric vehicle charging capabilities, ultimately aiming for 500,000 new public chargers to be operational by the end of the decade.
However, nearly three years after the original legislation passed, the actual progress has fallen far short of expectations. With only a handful of new stations installed, many Americans—especially those following developments in clean energy and infrastructure—are starting to question where the bottlenecks lie. Secretary Buttigieg acknowledged the concerns during his interview, explaining that building a national EV charging network is no small feat. He highlighted that coordinating efforts across all 50 states introduces layers of complexity, from planning and permitting to construction and compliance.
Still, for many taxpayers and critics, those explanations don’t quite cut it. The general sentiment is that for $7.5 billion, the public should be seeing more than just a few dozen operational charging spots. Conservative commentators, in particular, have seized on this issue as an example of what they view as government inefficiency. One viral post summed it up bluntly: “Pete Buttigieg has a VERY tough time trying to explain why only 7 or 8 [electric vehicle] charging stations have been produced with the $7.5 BILLION investment that taxpayers made back in 2021.” The comment reflects a growing dissatisfaction with what many see as broken promises and a poor return on public investment.
A clip of Buttigieg’s CBS appearance has been widely shared online, adding more fuel to the debate. In the video, Buttigieg calmly insists that the administration is still fully committed to the long-term goal of installing 500,000 EV chargers nationwide. He stressed that the groundwork—though not always visible to the public—takes time, especially when dealing with infrastructure projects of this size. According to him, the initial phase of such projects typically involves behind-the-scenes work such as contracting, environmental assessments, and system design, all of which must be finalized before physical construction can begin in earnest.
While Buttigieg’s defense may resonate with those familiar with large-scale infrastructure planning, it’s clear that patience among the public is wearing thin. Critics argue that the administration has done a poor job of managing expectations and communicating timelines. More importantly, they believe the administration needs to show tangible progress to justify the billions already spent or earmarked. In a climate where Americans are increasingly concerned about inflation, public spending, and energy costs, this lack of visible progress is quickly becoming a political liability.
Even among supporters of the EV transition, there is concern. The longer the delay, the harder it becomes to encourage more drivers to switch to electric vehicles. After all, one of the biggest hurdles in EV adoption is range anxiety—the fear of not being able to find a charging station when needed. The current lack of progress threatens to undermine the very goals these infrastructure bills were designed to achieve.
Looking ahead, the Biden administration faces mounting pressure to accelerate the rollout and show real results. With the 2024 election on the horizon, delivering on promises tied to clean energy and infrastructure could play a key role in how voters perceive the administration’s performance. While the long-term vision remains ambitious and admirable, the American public wants to see progress they can count—preferably one charging station at a time.
In the end, $7.5 billion is a lot of money—and with only seven or eight stations currently built, the administration has some serious catching up to do. Whether they can turn things around in time remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the clock is ticking, and Americans are watching.
