U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has defended the Biden administration's push to construct half a million electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along U.S. highways by 2030. Buttigieg's defense comes after questions were raised about the slow progress in building charging stations, with only eight being constructed since President Biden signed the legislation two years ago. Buttigieg explained that the process of building chargers involves more than just plugging a device into the ground and requires utility work and federal investment. He emphasized that the goal is to have 500,000 chargers by 2030 and that the first handful of chargers are already being physically built. Buttigieg also highlighted that Biden's focus is on ensuring that the EV revolution is led by America and not by competitors like China. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocates $7.5 billion for EV charging programs, and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act expands tax credits for EVs and charger installations. Buttigieg mentioned that charging stations are just one factor in transitioning to electric vehicles, and that lowering the cost of EVs for consumers is also important. [ab0ddea1]