of 3 Clipper Creek offers four Level 2 chargers to the public at Magnolia’s headquarters on Franklin Avenue at any time except 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Magnolia’s business hours. Alan Northcutt, provided EV Connect ProStar has opened two chargers at Baylor University’s Hurd Welcome Center on University Parks Drive. Both are Level 3 and available 24 hours a day. Alan Northcutt, provided Circle K on Spring Valley Road in Hewitt is preparing to open two Level 3 CCS1 electric vehicle chargers soon. Alan Northcutt, provided Volkswagen of Waco: ID.4 Pro S (275 miles). Public Level 3 charging during business hours. Although selection has dramatically improved, these BEVs represent only half of the total electrics available in the U.S. Further, the three most popular BEVs in McLennan County are the Tesla Model 3, Y and S, and the nearest Tesla dealership for a test drive is in Austin (three locations). WATCH: Ford is offering free home chargers and installation to customers who buy or lease an electric vehicle before the end of 2024. BEV charging Limited charging opportunity is a common criticism of BEVs. First, it is important to remember that over 80% of charging occurs at home, typically in a garage. But for apartment dwellers and others without home charging, it is true that 24-hour public charging has been limited to three sites in Waco: Tesla Superchargers at Collin Street Bakery (22 rapid DC NACS plugs for Tesla) Electrify America chargers at Walmart in Bellmead (six rapid DC CCS1 plugs, for most non-Tesla BEVs) Freewire chargers at Road Ranger in Lacy Lakeview (six CCS1 plugs) But over the last year, charging availability has improved, with three new sites open and five pending: EV Connect ProStar chargers at Baylor University’s new Hurd Welcome Center (two Level 3 CCS1 plugs), available 24 hours. Francis Energy chargers, second entrance to Bird-Kultgen Ford on Loop 340 (two Level 3 CCS1 plugs, two Level 2 J1772 plugs), 24 hours. Clipper Creek chargers, Magnolia headquarters on Franklin Avenue (four Level 2 J1772 plugs), open to public except Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Under construction: Roadster Travel Center on I-35 in Lorena (20 rapid NACS plugs). Under construction: Circle K on Spring Valley Road in Hewitt (two Level 3 CCS1 plugs). Approved for bids: Three Level 3 charging stations with four plugs (NACS or CCS1) each, on Highways 84, 6 and 31. Completion expected in 2025. Because of their superior functionality and massive network, Tesla Superchargers are now designated North American Charging Standard (NACS) for rapid charging. Eventually all BEVs will have the NACS port and will charge at all Supercharger sites. This transition of CCS to NACS has begun, with Chevy, Ford, Rivian, Polestar and Volvo BEVs able to charge at some Tesla Superchargers by using an adapter. Also, two sites on the Baylor campus and multiple Waco hotels have Level 2 chargers, but these are typically for students or hotel guests only. Charging availability has significantly improved in Waco. BEV batteries A common argument used to denigrate BEVs is the risk of early battery failure and expensive replacement. Not widely understood is that federal law requires all BEVs sold in the U.S. have a battery warranty of at least eight years or 100,000 miles. Various BEV manufacturers have even longer warranties — up to 120,000, 150,000 or 175,000 miles. Extended battery warranties are also available from firms such as Xcelerate Auto and Endurance. One of the most important studies on battery degradation came from Geotab, a telematics firm, which analyzed some 6,000 BEVs of all makes over 1.5 million days. They found annual degradation of 2.3% in 2019, which decreased to only 1.8% in 2024. David Savage, a vice president at Geotab, concluded, “Batteries in the latest EV models will comfortably outlast the usable life of the vehicle and will likely not need to be replaced.” Positives of electric The anti-BEV claims addressed above are overwhelmed by the positive qualities of battery electric vehicles. These include improved air quality for car occupants and the community, convenient home charging rather than gas station stops, elimination of oil changes, few moving parts for minimal maintenance, brisk acceleration, silent operation, support for a vital industry, and the creation of new vehicle and battery jobs. And most important, the daily satisfaction of knowing your driving helps preserve rather than destroy a livable climate. Alan D. Northcutt is a retired Waco physician and director of the grassroots climate action and education group, Waco Friends of the Climate. His email address is anorthc@aol.com.