Thinking of getting an electric car in NJ? Read this first (Opinion)

A new study on how many charging stations each state has per capita finds New Jersey way behind the curve compared to many states.

The analysis found that New Jersey has a total of 2,008 electric vehicle chargers — 22.6 for every 100,000 residents, compared to 39.0 nationally.

Vermont ranks number one with roughly 140 charging stations for every 100,000 residents.

California came in second with 104, but with a much higher population.

California also has by far the largest number of EV charging stations with roughly a third of the total for the entire U.S.

There are more popping up in New Jersey, but not enough to keep pace with many other states and the number of state residents looking to purchase an electric vehicle.

The number of charging stations has gone from less than 10,000 a decade ago to nearly 120,000 last year.

Tesla is the market leader in EVs but just about every car maker in the world today has at least one and in some cases a growing line of electric vehicles.

General Motors, Toyota, and Volkswagen are among the large manufacturers who have announced plans to go all-electric and eventually stop selling gas-powered vehicles altogether.

As society continues to adjust to the growing number of electric cars on the road, there is one factor that many people don't consider.

That is, what happens when one of these batteries catches fire?

Not many departments around the country are equipped or trained in the specialty of extinguishing an electric car fire.

Consider this accident in Pennsylvania last week.

It took crews nearly two hours and 12,000 gallons of water to put out a Tesla on Route 80 in rural Clearfield County, Pa. Just sayin...

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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