San Diego is a hotspot for electric vehicles
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Electric vehicles are everywhere in San Diego — a metro area with some of the highest EV activity in the country, new data shared with Axios confirms.
Driving the news: San Diego County saw an estimated 872 electric vehicle miles driven per 1,000 residents on a typical weekday in the second quarter of 2023.
- That's compared to the national rate of about 227 EV miles per 1,000 residents.
- Marin County in the Bay Area took the crown among large U.S. counties at 1,942.
How it works: The data, from mobility analytics platform Replica, is based on anonymized mobile device info, roadside sensors, transit agencies and more.
Zoom out: Much of the country's EV use is concentrated in the "four corners" of California, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and the Southeast, Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj report.
- Colorado and Hawai'i are bucking that trend with high adoption of EVs.
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.
State of play: Last month, California closed applications for its Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, which offered residents $1,000 to $7,500 rebates to purchase or lease new, eligible zero-emission vehicles.
- Now, the state will prioritize subsidies of up to $12,000 for lower-income buyers to make EVs more accessible and affordable.
Context: The state's Air Resources Board set a mandate that by 2035, 100% of new cars and light trucks sold in California must be zero-emission vehicles.
- EVs make up 21.5% of the market share in California, according to a recent California New Car Dealers Association report.
Be smart: The city and county are working to install more charging stations and provide resources on the costs and incentives of owning an EV.
The big picture: Electric car sales are booming, but remain short of automakers' hopes as some potential buyers are skeptical about their range, performance and cost.
- Several major automakers, including Ford, General Motors and others, are recalibrating their electric car ambitions after lower-than-expected sales.
- Auto dealers, meanwhile, are kvetching about unsold EVs piling up on their lots, 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 range anxiety issue.
The bottom line: The electric car revolution is happening — it's just unevenly distributed.