Invisible hand

The idea that the federal government is planning to construct EV charging stations across the country ought to frighten you to the bone. Its history of graft, incompetence and political payoffs is legion.

The first gasoline refilling stations were created by individual businesses in the early 1900s in places where they were needed. In some cases they were purpose built. In other cases pumps were added to an existing business as an additional source of revenue. The automotive and oil producing companies had a vested interest in getting them where they were needed most as fast as possible. Now they are seemingly everywhere and, as individual businesses, there is competition to generally prevent price gouging.

Maryland has reported that a private gas station has, on its own, added EV electric stations. How hard can it be to bring in some extra power lines and keep them around the side of the building away from the gasoline? The electric car companies have a vested interest in getting them where they are needed most as fast as possible. Because it takes longer to charge a car than it takes to refuel gasoline, the stations, most of which have convenience stores attached, will have a willingly captive customer to buy more snacks and goodies. That alone ought to be a significant incentive to any forward-thinking business person to add EV stations to their existing refueling stations on their own without a major government boondoggle. Governments put things where their biggest donors bribe them to put them. Adam Smith’s “Invisible hand” efficiently at work. Richard Pulsifer