Biden's $7.5B investment in EV charging has only produced 7 stations in 2 years

I don't understand/know how these investments are supposed to work?

Why aren't these investment allocations treated more like a microloan+ bounty program?

I think a good example of how these kinds of things could be done better is more the things like DARPA model: funding for slick idea shows up, private does smart things, public embraces smart thing to drive standards and costs down.

the fact that teslas charger is gaining adoption by more manufacturers is great. As an open design it also seems like something that could have been championed by the government.

Same story with HSR, and the much trumpeted 'manufacturing boom'.

Capital allocation and capital expenditure does not mean actual production.

The hiring analogy would be a software company touting recruiting fees for s/w engineers hired as evidence of actual software produced. You have invested in hiring, but now actually need to organise and deliver on the production