HARRISBURG, Pa. — People are flocking to Harrisburg to check out the flashy new cars on the showroom floor of the Pennsylvania Auto Show. Several of the new cars on display include brand-new electric vehicles.
“We can foresee a time where most of the cars on the ground will be pure electric vehicles, and that’s a massive shift," said Dan Lehr, a manager with Lehman Volvo.
Lehman Volvo was one of several dealerships to display the latest EV models on its lot. Lehr said more people have been coming to the dealership to ask about EVs.
“We’re gaining more audience for these vehicles and people are really curious about how they fit with their lives, how they work, and if they’re everything they’re set out to be," Lehr explained.
More EVs are on display than at any point in Pennsylvania Auto Show's history as manufacturers offer more options for drivers. However, concerns over range and charging stations remain for some drivers.
“A lot are worried about the long-range anxiety," said Keith Jack with the Pa. Turnpike Commission.
Jack added the commission wants to help improve the infrastructure surrounding EVs.
The Shapiro administration recently announced that Pennsylvania would be receiving $5 million in federal funding to improve charging reliability. The funding will allow the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to build out 80 more charging stations.
“I think at the end of the day, we could add a third more chargers than what we could without the funding," said Jack.
Experts say the investments in EV infrastructure will help improve reliability.
“There’s a lot of questions that come along with that, but there’s some really cool stuff coming down the road in the not-too-distant future," said Lehr.