Why Your Next Road Trip Might Still Rely on Gas (Even in 2026)

If you drive a Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Porsche, VW, Volvo, Jaguar, Lexus, Toyota, or Honda—especially a hybrid or EV—you’ve probably wondered when public charging will catch up. A recent story out of Massachusetts shows that even with big federal money, the rollout of new charging stations can be painfully slow.

Back in 2022, Massachusetts got $64 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program to build dozens of new charging sites. Four years later, not one working charger has come from that money. Two companies were picked to build the stations, but only now—mid-2026—are a handful of locations in Greenfield, Newburyport, Lancaster, Raynham, and Wrentham finally moving toward construction.

The state hasn’t explained why it’s taken this long.

And Massachusetts isn’t alone. Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oregon, Alabama, Arizona, and even California have received millions without a single NEVI-funded charger up and running. Some states, like Texas, have done better—but nationwide, the EV charging network is still catching up.

What does this mean for you? If you own a plug-in hybrid or electric car from one of the brands we service, don’t count on public charging alone for longer trips just yet. Keep your home charger reliable, and bring your car to us for regular maintenance—especially battery and cooling system checks—so you’re ready when the infrastructure finally arrives.

If a recall or service bulletin affects your vehicle, we can inspect it here at our shop. We’ve been keeping European and Japanese cars running right in Boca Raton since 1989.