Wisconsin DOT Hopes to Reduce EV Users’ Range Anxiety

A ChargePoint electric car charging station sits in the parking lot of Jenifer Street Market in Madison, Wis., on Feb. 12, 2022. Jim Malewitz/Wisconsin Watch

Range anxiety — the fear that an electric vehicle will run out of power before it reaches either its destination or a charging station — is not only an ongoing concern for current EV owners, but a worry that could be preventing more Wisconsin drivers from shifting to EVs.

Recently the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Kristina Boardman visited WPR’s “The Larry Meiller Show” to discuss the expansion of EV infrastructure and how the state is working to ease range anxiety.

In the NEVI

Wisconsin’s EV infrastructure buildout began in earnest with the establishment of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, program in 2022.

Wisconsin received roughly $78 million in funding to build a network of charging stations along the state’s alternative fuel corridors, defined as major highways where EV stations would be most visible and get the most use.

Boardman stated that at that time 78 charging stations were planned, with 21 operational as of April 2026. The Wisconsin DOT maintains an online dashboard showing charging station construction plans and progress.

“We’re targeting that interstate system and identifying areas so that someone can always be within 50 miles of a high-quality charger,” Boardman explained.

Taking charge of your charge

Boardman stressed that despite increases in the numbers of charging stations, EV drivers shouldn’t assume one will always be there when they need it.

“I will say you can’t wing it. You have to plan ahead,” Boardman advised. “But I think you can get everywhere through the state.”

Boardman maintained that state and federal funding are not the only financial sources for charging stations and encouraged EV users to stay knowledgeable about where they can top off.

“There’s other apps out there that you can get on your phone that are looking at all of the vendors,” Boardman urged. “Maybe not ones that we have facilitated through this program, but there’s a lot of other chargers that are available as well.”

Boardman — an EV owner herself — believes that over time, charging your EV simply becomes “part of your journey.”

“You figure out which ones you like better. Which ones have the good coffee shops. And you cater your journey accordingly.”

George Bussey, who lives south of Ashland, poses with his Chevy Bolt. He’s one of the Wisconsin EV drivers benefiting from the DOT’s focus on the EV infrastructure in the northern part of the state. Danielle Kaeding/WPR

Location, location, location

Of the 78 charging stations the Wisconsin DOT is funding, nearly two-thirds of them are in northern Wisconsin. Boardman said that’s no accident.

“The target of our first round of applications was really building out that corridor,” Boardman said. “There are many far northern areas of the state that really needed this infrastructure.”

But no matter where in the state a charging station is, Boardman said they are designed to have certain attributes in common.

Each station needs to be “easy to get to from that alternative corridor,” Boardman insisted. “It needs to be in a safe, clean area.”

Boardman added that whenever possible, the DOT is looking to place charging stations adjacent to businesses with “expanded hours so that you can run in and get something to drink while you’re waiting for your car to charge.”

Boardman believes that charging stations can be a catalyst for more than just selling a few extra coffees or sodas.

“I think it’s an opportunity to boost additional economic development in these areas where people are going to be charging their vehicles.”

Collective energy

Boardman points to increased sales of EVs in Wisconsin as proof the EV infrastructure is needed.

“We are definitely seeing the amounts of registered electric vehicles in Wisconsin increasing,” Boardman asserted. “It is by no means the majority, but it has been doubling in the last three years.”

And it’s not just Wisconsin drivers officials are looking to service.

“We have a significant amount of tourism in Wisconsin,” Boardman explained. “We want people coming from other states to know that we are committed to providing safe charging alternatives for them.”

Charging USA

Boardman expressed some concern in response to the Trump administration possibly floating a proposal that would require federally funded EV chargers to be 100 percent American made.

“Obviously we absolutely support Buy American, but there are some commodities that are not yet available to buy in America,” she said. “And so we need to maintain some flexibility so that we can continue to do what we’re doing.”

Vehicle empowerment

What Boardman wants to continue doing is providing Wisconsin drivers as many anxiety-free travel options as possible.

“It’s up to the user what type of vehicle they’re purchasing, what type of modes they’re using for their transportation,” Boardman concluded. “But we want to make sure that Wisconsin is set up to meet whatever those needs are.”

Listen to the WPR report

Wisconsin DOT hoping to pump the brakes on EV users’ range anxiety was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.