Americans who live in apartments without private garages are stringing extension cords across sidewalks and waiting in line at public charging stations to power up their electric vehicles. EVs are soaring in popularity amid tax incentives and high gas prices, but how and where to charge up remains a dilemma that's a barrier for most renters.
Electric Vehicles Urban Living Stephanie Terrell, a Portland, Ore., renter who owns a used electric car, charges it at a public charging station in a grocery store parking lot on Sept. 30, 2022. Terrell bought an EV this fall, but charging it up has been a constant challenge because as a renter she does not have access to a private garage where she can plug in overnight and public options are often limited. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus
Electric Vehicles Urban Living Stephanie Terrell, a Portland, Ore., renter who owns a used electric car, waits as her car charges at a public charging station in a grocery store parking lot on Sept. 30, 2022. Terrell bought an EV this fall to save on gas, but charging it up has been a constant challenge because as a renter she does not have access to a private garage where she can plug in overnight and public options are often limited. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus
Electric Vehicles Urban Living Rebecca DeWhitt charges her electric vehicle in the driveway of the Portland, Ore., home she rents on Sept. 30, 2022. DeWhitt and her partner aren't allowed to use the rental home's garage and so they charge their EV using an extension cord that plugs into a standard electrical outlet outside their front door. The great transition to electric vehicles is underway for homeowners who can charge their cars in a private garage, but for millions of renters like DeWhitt, access to charging remains a significant barrier. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus
Electric Vehicles Urban Living A charging cord for electric vehicles is seen strung across a public sidewalk in San Francisco on Sept. 23, 2022. The great transition to electric vehicles is underway for homeowners who can charge their cars in a private garage, but for millions of renters access to charging remains a significant barrier. Renters have resorted to stringing extension cords across public sidewalks and erecting private chargers in public rights-of-way as cities try to install more public charging to meet the demand. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)
AP Photo/Haven Daley
Election 2022 Electric Vehicles FILE - A charging cord for an electric vehicle is seen strung across a public sidewalk in San Francisco on Sept. 23, 2022. With inflation a top concern for voters, many Republican candidates are seeking to capitalize on Americans’ precarious financial situations heading into next week’s midterm elections to vilify a key component of President Joe Biden’s climate agenda: electric vehicles. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)
AP Photo/Haven Daley, File
Electric Vehicles Urban Living A do-it-yourself electric vehicle charging station for an electric mini-van is seen in the grassy median of this residential street in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 30, 2022 photo. The great transition to electric vehicles is underway for homeowners who can charge their cars in a private garage, but for millions of renters, access to charging remains a significant barrier. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus
Electric Vehicles Urban Living An electric vehicle charges on a publicly accessible pole-mounted charger in Los Angeles on Oct. 4, 2022. Los Angeles is a leader among U.S. cities in installing publicly accessible chargers, including 450 on city street light poles and 50 on power poles. But demand in Los Angeles and elsewhere far exceeds supply when it comes to charging access for EV owners who rent and don't have a private garage in which to power up their car. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
AP Photo/Eugene Garcia
Electric Vehicles Urban Living Rebecca DeWhitt shows how she connects an extension cord to her electric vehicle's charging cable outside the Portland, Ore., home she rents on Sept. 30, 2022. DeWhitt and her partner aren't allowed to use the rental home's garage and so they charge their EV using an extension cord that plugs into a standard electrical outlet outside their front door. The great transition to electric vehicles is underway but for millions of renters like DeWhitt, access to charging remains a significant barrier. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — In a story published October 25, 2022, about electric vehicle chargers, The Associated Press erroneously reported the number of commercial chargers — ones not in private homes — that are publicly accessible in Los Angeles. There are 4,367, not about 3,000.
