Washington ranks among states with most electric car miles
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The Pacific Northwest has one of the highest concentrations of electric vehicle (EV) use in the country, according to mobility data shared with Axios.
Why it matters: EV prices are dropping fast, a win for Washingtonians on a tighter budget who are looking to go electric.
Driving the news: EV use is concentrated in the "four corners" of the U.S.: the PNW, California, the Northeast and the Southeast, per recent data from mobility analytics platform Replica.
- Data from anonymized mobile device info, roadside sensors, transit agencies and more informed Replica's estimates about the number of EV miles traveled per 1,000 residents on a typical weekday in the second quarter of 2023.
Zoom in: Wahkiakum County (population 4,382) on the Columbia River takes the crown in Washington for the most electric miles traveled per 1,000 residents with 688 on a typical weekday.
- Jefferson County (population 33,000) on the Olympic Peninsula comes in second with 630.
- With 545, King County (population 2.24 million) places third.
- Washington's least densely populated county, Garfield, brings up the rear with a population of 2,274 and zero EV miles per thousand people, per the data.
The intrigue: Electric car sales are booming, but not as much as automakers had hoped.
- Car dealers remain concerned about unsold EVs piling up on their lots, as Axios' Joann Muller reports, while potential buyers harbor skepticism about range, performance and cost.
- In Washington, however, 18% of new car sales registered in the first half of 2023 were fully electric cars or plug-in hybrids, the Seattle Times reported.
Zoom out: Nationally, Marin County, California, saw 1,942 electric miles per thousand people on a typical weekday.
- Santa Clara County, California, (1,607) and San Mateo County, California, (1,386) follow.
What's next: Automakers are doubling down on their investments in charging infrastructure to help solve the range anxiety issue.