Benton County leads in EV commuting in Arkansas
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Benton County saw an estimated 63 electric vehicle miles driven per 1,000 residents on a typical weekday in the second quarter of 2023, Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report from data shared with Axios.
- About 42 miles per 1,000 residents were driven during the typical weekday in Washington County.
Zoom out: The crown for large U.S. counties went to Marin County, California, which averages 1,942 miles per day.
How it works: The data, from mobility analytics platform Replica, is based upon anonymized mobile device info, roadside sensors, transit agencies and more.
Between the lines: The areas with the most EV activity are generally those with better-developed charging infrastructure, as well as higher-income households that can more easily afford the electric car premium.
Zoom in: Arkansas' charging infrastructure is still nascent, but with $54 million from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure plan, there may eventually be charging stations about every 50 miles along our interstates.
- While there are more EVs in NWA than ever, as of January less than 3% of new-car registrations were electric only.
By the numbers: Benton County led the state, but rural Arkansas County was No. 2 with 60 miles per 1,000 residents.
- Pulaski County came in at 54 miles.
- Be smart: See an interactive map.
The big picture: Electric-car sales are booming but remain short of automakers' hopes, as some potential buyers continue to be skeptical about their range, performance and cost.
- Several major automakers — Ford, General Motors and others — are recalibrating their electric-car ambitions after lower-than-expected sales.
- Car dealers, meanwhile, are kvetching about unsold EVs piling up on their lots, as Axios' Joann Muller reports.
Yes, but: Used-EV prices are dropping fast.
- That's bad news for early adopters who hoped to skirt the law of depreciation, but a win for those looking to go electric on a tighter budget.
Plus: Automakers are doubling down on their investments in charging infrastructure to help solve the issue of range anxiety.
- Mercedes, for instance, is rolling out swanky "charging lounges," while it and several other car makers are also partnering on a separate new charging network.
The bottom line: The story this map ultimately tells? The electric-car revolution is happening — it's just unevenly distributed.
Go deeper: EV revolution leads to lithium land grab in Arkansas