Bay Area leads the nation in electric vehicle use
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Electric vehicles are a common sight in the Bay Area — more so than in most other metro areas in the country, new data shared with Axios confirms.
Driving the news: San Francisco County saw an estimated 434 EV 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.
Yes, but: Neighboring Marin County took the crown among all large U.S. counties at 1,942 EV miles per 1,000 residents, followed by Santa Clara County at 1,607.
How it works: The data, from mobility analytics platform Replica, is based on anonymized mobile device info, roadside sensors, transit agencies and more.
Reality check: While San Francisco County's EV usage is high, it's still a fraction of the 9,990 miles driven in all vehicles per 1,000 residents during the typical weekday.
The big picture: Much of the country's EV use is concentrated in the "four corners" of California, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and the Southeast.
- But two glaring exceptions are Colorado and Hawaii, which are also seeing high adoption.
Between the lines: The areas with the most EV activity are generally those with better-developed charging infrastructure and higher-income households that can more easily afford the electric car premium.
- The Bay Area made history in March when it became the first major metro area to see EVs or hybrids comprise half of new car registrations.
What to watch: 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 — to prioritize subsidies of up to $12,000 for lower-income buyers.
- 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.
State of play: Electric car sales are booming but remain short of automakers' hopes and dreams. Some potential buyers remain skeptical about their range, performance and cost.
- Several major automakers, including Ford and General Motors, are recalibrating their electric car ambitions after lower-than-expected sales.
- Car 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 had hoped to skirt the law of depreciation, but it's 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 consumers' range anxiety.
- Mercedes, for instance, is rolling out swanky "charging lounges." The car maker also has partnered with several competitors on a new nationwide charging network.
The bottom line: The story this map tells?
- The electric car revolution is happening — it's just unevenly distributed.