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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Austin. Written by Nicole Cobler and Asher Price.

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Data: S&P Global Mobility; Chart: Axios Visuals

Electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 9.3% of monthly new vehicle registrations in the Austin area in January 2023 — up from 7% in January 2022, Axios' Joann Muller reports.

Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 were the most popular, followed by the Chevrolet Bolt, Ford F Series and Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Zoom out: Nationally, EVs accounted for 7% of new vehicle registrations in January, up from 4.1% in January 2022.

The growth is another sign that the EV transition is gaining momentum.

Why it matters: EVs aren't just for early adopters anymore, and Central Texas has led the boom in our state.

With broader selection and some signs of moderating prices, mainstream car buyers are increasingly turning their EV curiosity into purchases.

There were 47 electric models available for sale in the U.S. at the end of January, up from 33 the prior year.

Zoom in: Austin City Council members recently passed a resolution to develop a plan for the equitable distribution of public charging stations, which can cost as much as $100,000 each.

Council members said the effort could improve access for all drivers and nudge people who might be on the fence about electric vehicles to make the switch.

Reality check: Less than 1% of the 279 million cars and light trucks on American roads are electric.

The Biden administration recently announced new restrictions on auto emissions, but it will still take decades for the slow transition from gasoline to electric vehicles to be complete.

Dig deeper: Tesla's dominance fades as EV adoption grows

Tesla's dominance fades as EV adoption grows

Local electric vehicle registrations rise

Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 were the most popular.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Electric vehicles (EVs)" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/energy-environment/electric-vehicles" data-vars-content-id="1d82f111-a14d-488c-a5f9-fdc1dfc4a9cc" data-vars-headline="Local electric vehicle registrations rise" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/energy-environment/electric-vehicles" target="_self">Electric vehicles (EVs)</a> accounted for 9.3% of monthly new vehicle registrations in the Austin area in January 2023 — up from 7% in January 2022, Axios&#x27; Joann Muller reports.<ul><li>Tesla&#x27;s Model Y and Model 3 were the most popular, followed by the Chevrolet Bolt, Ford F Series and Ford Mustang Mach-E.</li></ul>

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Data: U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation; Map: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios

The number of public electric vehicle charging stations in Texas has more than doubled in the past four years, per federal data.

Why it matters: Many of those charging stations are paid for with federal funds approved during the Obama or Biden era, and the new administration is slamming the brakes on the disbursements.

By the numbers: There are now about 4,000 electric vehicle charging stations offering more than 11,000 charging ports in Texas, according to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy.

That's up from roughly 1,470 public charging stations with about 4,500 ports in January 2021.

The big picture: Nationwide, there are more than 75,000 public electric vehicle charging stations, offering more than 200,000 hookups, per the federal data.

Yes, but: Charging might be getting easier — but the U.S. is still far short of the estimated 1.2 million public chargers that a National Renewable Energy Laboratory report says will be needed by 2030 to support expected EV sales.

The big picture: People won't buy an electric car unless they're confident they have somewhere to charge it.

And companies won't invest in charging infrastructure without enough EV owners to plug in.

Between the lines: Spurring a switch from gasoline-powered to battery-electric vehicles was a key part of former President Biden's climate agenda.

But President Trump last week ordered federal agencies to immediately halt disbursements related to that switch.

Zoom in: Austin wants to install 37,000 charging stations over the next 15 years to meet its climate goals.

Austin Energy currently operates about 1,500 Level 2 charging ports and 30 DC fast chargers in the Austin area. The fast chargers charge ten times as quickly.

Reality check: Electric vehicle sales are growing, but far off the expected pace.

Only 8.1% of new car sales in 2024 were EVs, according to Cox Automotive. Still, that's a record 1.3 million EVs sold.

Electric vehicles made up 9.6% of new registrations in Austin — and 5.8% of new registrations in Texas — between January and November of last year, per data made available to Axios from automotive intelligence firm S&P Global Mobility.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory report

Texas builds out charging stations as Trump checks in

During the Biden years, the number of public electric vehicle charging stations in Texas more than doubled. Trump wants to end federal support.

A choropleth map of the U.S. showing the number of EV charging stations per state per 100,000 residents. Vermont leads with 71.5, while Mississippi trails with 6.5.

The number of public <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="electric vehicle" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/energy-climate/electric-vehicles" data-vars-content-id="321077d9-2d74-4809-91b0-d1f85e4c41b0" data-vars-headline="Texas builds out charging stations as Trump checks in" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/energy-climate/electric-vehicles" target="_self">electric vehicle</a> charging stations in Texas has more than doubled in the past four years, per federal data.Why it matters: Many of those charging stations are paid for with federal funds approved during the Obama or Biden era, and the new administration is slamming the brakes on the disbursements.

In an attempt to reverse the socioeconomic harm of planning decisions made decades ago, the federal government is doling out $1 billion — including more than $1.12 million to Austin — over five years to remove highways that divide communities.

Yes, but: That's a modest sum compared to the billions the government is pumping into new highway expansion projects — looking at you, I-35 — that critics fear will repeat the same mistakes, writes Axios' Joann Muller.

Why it matters: Highways and rail lines are supposed to help people get to where they want to go. Yet infrastructure can also be a barrier that divides neighborhoods and cuts residents off from economic opportunity.

Communities of color often bear the brunt of the consequences.

That was the case in Austin, where I-35, completed in 1962, isolated the city's Black and Latino residents to the east. 

Reconnecting neighborhoods by turning highways into boulevards, putting parks over acres of asphalt, or adding more bridges, tunnels and trails can address some of these inequities and strengthen communities.

Driving the news: The Biden administration recently announced the first round of funding under the "Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program," established under the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

Zoom in: Funds for Austin will go toward the city's "Our Future 35" study, which focuses on reconnecting East and West Austin by building decks that allow for features such as parks and bike lanes over the I-35 lanes downtown. 

In its proposal for the federal grant, the city called I-35 "a primary driver of segregation and disparity and presents a major roadblock to access, mobility, and economic opportunity."

At the same time, the Texas Department of Transportation continues to move forward with widening the highway, which agency officials say is necessary to accommodate the region's booming population.

TxDOT's preferred expansion plan would close or relocate 107 local businesses, residences and properties, including eight commercial properties that cater to non-white, Spanish-speaking or lower income populations.

Reality check: $1.12 million is a measly sum considering the I-35 project could cost as much as $800 million. And it pales in comparison to TxDOT's $4.5 billion I-35 expansion project.

Mike McGinn, executive director of the pro-pedestrian group America Walks, praised President Biden's grant program — but added that "we also must acknowledge that the program is modest compared to the flood of state and federal money still allocated for highways that divide and damage communities."

The bottom line: Cities are still being built around cars, not people.

Go deeper: The $1 billion push to remove highways dividing communities

The $1 billion push to remove highways dividing communities

Austin awarded $1.12M to study I-35 divide

The study will focus on re-connecting East and West Austin.

Illustration of a highway road sign made out of a giant hundred dollar bill.  

In an attempt to reverse the socioeconomic harm of planning decisions made decades ago, the federal government is doling out $1 billion — including <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="more than $1.12 million" data-vars-click-url="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2023-02/RCP%20Fact%20Sheets%202022.pdf" data-vars-content-id="44fe2175-87c6-441f-bf82-dbe1d72155e9" data-vars-headline="Austin awarded $1.12M to study I-35 divide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2023-02/RCP%20Fact%20Sheets%202022.pdf" target="_blank">more than $1.12 million</a> to Austin — over five years to remove highways that divide communities.Yes, but: That&#x27;s a modest sum compared to the billions the government is pumping into new highway expansion projects — looking at you, I-35 — that critics fear will repeat the same mistakes, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="writes Axios&#x27; Joann Muller" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/06/highway-removal" data-vars-content-id="44fe2175-87c6-441f-bf82-dbe1d72155e9" data-vars-headline="Austin awarded $1.12M to study I-35 divide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/03/06/highway-removal" target="_self">writes Axios&#x27; Joann Muller</a>.

Austin and other Texas cities could soon be on the vanguard of aviation, with innovative electric aircraft jetting off their runways.

What's happening: The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) was selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this week for one of eight pilot projects nationally, with regional flights linking Dallas, Austin and San Antonio — with Houston planned next. 

Partners on the Texas project include the companies Archer, BETA, Joby and Wisk.

The big picture: The U.S. is competing against China to lead in advanced air mobility.

How it works: Most of the U.S. projects involve the use of electric aircraft that can take off or land vertically — imagine giant, low-flying electric drones carrying passengers or cargo that take off like helicopters and fly horizontally like traditional planes.

Some will also include electric or hybrid planes that take off and land conventionally or require only a short runway.

Zoom in: Operations in Texas cities could start later this year, Adam Hammons, a spokesperson with TxDOT, tells Axios. 

Initially, in a phase that could last three months, TxDOT will use traditional helicopters and fixed-wing planes alongside electric aircraft to fly the planned routes. These flights will carry equipment and perform tests without carrying commercial passengers, Hammons said. 

In a second phase, operations will scale to medical and cargo logistics, such as transporting critical medical supplies or organs between rural facilities and urban medical centers in Austin and San Antonio.

Ultimately, after the electric aircraft receive final federal certifications, the network will scale — in two to three years — to commercial passenger "air taxi" flights, Hammons says.

What they're saying: "Rather than isolated tests in a single city, TxDOT is building the infrastructure to handle the transition between urban, rural and state airspace," Hammons tells Axios.

The bottom line: Together, the U.S. projects will create one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft in existence, the  FAA said in a statement.

Electric aircraft soon to jet in Texas skies

Texas cities are part of a pilot project to get electric aircraft airborne

White and blue tilt-rotor aircraft with rotors on its wings, flying across a pale blue sky; registration N703AX on the fuselage.

Archer Aviation's Midnight electric air taxi. Image: Courtesy of Archer

Austin and other Texas cities could soon be on the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="vanguard of aviation" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/06/04/joby-aviation-xwing-autonomous-flight-evtol" data-vars-content-id="92e16a7b-bd61-47dd-af58-4be9332d54c8" data-vars-headline="Electric aircraft soon to jet in Texas skies" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/06/04/joby-aviation-xwing-autonomous-flight-evtol" target="_self">vanguard of aviation</a>, with innovative electric aircraft jetting off their runways.What&#x27;s happening: The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) was selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this week for one of eight pilot projects nationally, with regional flights linking Dallas, Austin and San Antonio — with Houston planned next. <ul><li>Partners on the Texas project include the companies Archer, BETA, Joby and Wisk.</li></ul>The big picture: The U.S. is competing against China to lead in advanced air mobility.How it works: Most of the U.S. projects involve the use of electric aircraft that can take off or land vertically — imagine giant, low-flying electric drones carrying passengers or cargo that take off like helicopters and fly horizontally like traditional planes.<ul><li>Some will also include electric or hybrid planes that take off and land conventionally or require only a short runway.</li></ul>Zoom in: Operations in Texas cities could start later this year, Adam Hammons, a spokesperson with TxDOT, tells Axios. <ul><li>Initially, in a phase that could last three months, TxDOT will use traditional helicopters and fixed-wing planes alongside electric aircraft to fly the planned routes. These flights will carry equipment and perform tests without carrying commercial passengers, Hammons said. </li><li>In a second phase, operations will scale to medical and cargo logistics, such as transporting critical medical supplies or organs between rural facilities and urban medical centers in Austin and San Antonio.</li></ul><ul><li>Ultimately, after the electric aircraft receive final federal certifications, the network will scale — in two to three years — to commercial passenger &quot;air taxi&quot; flights, Hammons says.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: &quot;Rather than isolated tests in a single city, TxDOT is building the infrastructure to handle the transition between urban, rural and state airspace,&quot; Hammons tells Axios.The bottom line: Together, the U.S. projects will create one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft in existence, the FAA said in a statement.

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Federal dollars meant to boost the number of electric vehicle chargers in Austin are now on hold, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, an Austin Democrat, tells Axios.

Why it matters: The withholding of the federal funds is a window into the impact of the Trump administration's environmental policies — and has big consequences for the automotive industry.

Catch up quick: Per an announcement in early January — before the change in administration — $15 million from the 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was meant to double the number of fast chargers in Austin and add a total of over 200 new ports altogether.

Austin wants to install 37,000 charging stations over the next 15 years to meet its climate goals.

Between the lines: The new administration is slamming the brakes on the disbursements.

Spurring a switch from gasoline-powered to battery-electric vehicles was a key part of former President Biden's climate agenda.

But shortly after his inauguration, President Trump ordered federal agencies to immediately halt disbursements related to that switch.

What they're saying: "This vital funding was announced only three weeks ago and has not yet been disbursed," Dogget ttold Axios via email. "We cannot permit this pause to become a broken promise to Austin Energy and other local governments, which are relying on these funds to develop a comprehensive electric charging network."

The other side: Hours after taking office, Trump signed a broad energy-focused directive that includes a plan to "eliminate the electric vehicle (EV) mandate" in order to "promote true consumer choice," per the executive order.

Follow the money: The federal cash may never be released.

According to the order, the money won't be released until agency heads "have determined that such disbursements are consistent" with the goal of eliminating "unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs."

By the numbers: The number of public electric vehicle charging stations in Texas has more than doubled in the past four years, per federal data.

There are now about 4,000 electric vehicle charging stations offering more than 11,000 charging ports in Texas, according to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The bottom line: People won't buy an electric car unless they're confident they have somewhere to charge it.

Federal EV charger money for Austin on hold

The Biden administration had approved $15 million to pay for EV chargers.

A map of the United States in different shades of green showing the share of public EV charging stations per 100,000 residents. 

Federal dollars meant to boost the number of electric vehicle chargers in Austin are now on hold, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, an Austin Democrat, tells Axios.Why it matters: The withholding of the federal funds is a window into the impact of the Trump administration&#x27;s environmental policies — and has <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="big consequences" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/23/trump-ev-mandate-chinese-rivals-cars" data-vars-content-id="b0e37906-755b-45dd-89ad-f1eca109a5d5" data-vars-headline="Federal EV charger money for Austin on hold" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/23/trump-ev-mandate-chinese-rivals-cars" target="_self">big consequences</a> for the automotive industry.

Joann Muller

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