At the 2016 dedication of the first state-sponsored electric vehicle charging station in Beatty, former Gov. Brian Sandoval demonstrated how easy it was to charge an electric Ford Focus.
“This is the first electric highway in the United States,” the Republican then-governor said during the ceremony at the new charging station outside of Eddie World on U.S. Highway 95. “It’s significant steps like this that show the rest of the country that we are tech savvy, especially when it comes to electric cars and autonomous vehicles.”
What those attending the ceremony didn’t see was that the vehicle Sandoval was charging had to be shuttled to Beatty for the event. Nevada lacked frequent, reliable charging stations and with a range of just 76 miles, the car wouldn’t make it on Highway 95 from Las Vegas to the small city more than 100 miles away on a single charge.
It’s been nearly a decade since Sandoval announced the somewhat futuristic idea of turning Highway 95 into an “Electric Highway,” building out charging stations to eliminate “range anxiety” and make Nevada’s highways accessible to electric vehicle (EV) drivers.