Richmond's electric vehicle charger inequity

Electric vehicle chargers are easier to find in whiter, wealthier neighborhoods in Richmond and nationwide, an analysis by the Axios What's Next team found.

Why it matters: Automakers and lawmakers are pushing EVs as a cleaner alternative to traditional cars.

• But concerns over charging access are one of the biggest holdups preventing more car buyers from going electric — along with high EV prices.

By the numbers: In the Richmond area, majority-white tracts are 2.69 times as likely to have a charging station as majority-nonwhite tracts, according to the analysis of the 35 U.S. cities with the highest share of EV sales.

• Nationally, majority-white tracts are about 1.4 times as likely.

Zoom in: The highest concentrations of EV charging stations in the Richmond area are in the 23230 zip code, which includes Scott's Addition and Libbie Mill, per the data.

• A cluster of chargers at The Current, a newly opened luxury apartment building in Manchester, accounts for the second highest local concentration.

Yes, but: There are just over 100 EV charging stations with unrestricted public access in the Richmond area.

• And there were fewer than 40,000 electric vehicles registered in all of Virginia as of July 1, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Methodology: The analysis relied upon EV market share data from S&P Global Mobility and charger location information from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Reality check: Charging is only one roadblock when it comes to electric car equity.

• Price is also a major concern. The average EV sold for $61,448 in December, according to Kelley Blue Book, putting them outside many car buyers' budgets.

What we're watching: Virginia is on track to adopt California's vehicle emissions standards next year under a "clean car" law passed in 2021.

• It would require about 8% of new cars sold by manufacturers be electric or hybrid. The percentage would increase annually after that, AP reports.
• Republicans are pushing to repeal the mandate, which they call unrealistic, but this week Democrats in the state Senate blocked the effort.