The electric vehicle movement has been gaining significant ground lately across the U.S. A total of 800K EVs were sold in the U.S. in 2022, a 65% increase compared to the previous year. The charging network is also expanding, with the number of nationwide EV stations going up by 58% in 2021, per the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center.

Overall, the EV landscape is getting friendlier, but some places are far ahead in the electric race. A recent StorageCafe report looked into EV-friendliness and at which metro areas cater best to the needs of EV owners. The ranking was based on a mix of metrics including the number of EVs, charging infrastructure, price of electricity and insurance, highway friendliness, public transit using clean energy, condition of roads, renewable energy, local incentives and vehicle storage options in the area. As it turns out, the best places for EVs are concentrated in the West, with only Miami, FL, breaking the pattern in the top 10 list.

Seattle, WA, stands out as the best place to be an EV driver

Driving is just one step on the road to a more sustainable future, but it’s a big one and the West is far ahead in adopting the green way. Seattle, WA, leads the EV race with a great mix of features that support EV adoption, including infrastructure, number of EVs already on the roads, incentives and more. The area boasts 47K+ electric vehicles, or about 3 per 100 households. Locals can charge their electric vehicles at any of the 1,000 public chargers, whether they’re going to the grocery store, local library, a restaurant or a hotel. Beyond public options, about 7% of apartment complexes offer charging stations to renters, which makes “gasing up” their EV at home a welcome amenity.

Californian Hubs Dominate the EV Landscape

Second only to Seattle, San Francisco is the second-best metro area for its EV performance and the first one to represent California in this ranking. The metro stands out for the impressive 105K electric vehicles registered locally. What’s more, San Francisco fares exceptionally well in terms of letting EV owners charge their vehicles, with a total of 2,500 public chargers, which translates to about 1.4 of them per 1,000 households. The local infrastructure is supportive of the EV movement in other ways too: HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lanes make up 15% of the area’s highway lane mileage. What’s more, 93% of the local public transportation system is supported by clean fuel, a testament to San Francisco’s pledge to environmental protection.

San Jose emerges as another Californian EV hotspot. There are 44K electric cars in San Jose serviced by close to 1,500 public charging stations. When you factor in population, San Jose has 2.2 public charging stations per 1,000 households, the highest number in the country from this perspective. Moreover, over 10% of apartment complexes are outfitted with charging stations, a useful feature for renters owning an EV.

The highway system in San Jose also helps if you’re an EV driver – 10% of the local lane mileage is dedicated to HOV lanes. EV owners also have weather on their side in San Jose: with temperatures never dipping below 50 degrees all year round, they can expect their car battery to function at full capacity. Also, 87% of public transit runs on clean fuel, which reflects the local support for a lower carbon footprint.

With over 73K electric vehicles registered in the San Diego metro area, or about 6.3 per 100 households, the city seems poised for an electric supercharge. The local infrastructure strives to meet the demand, with about 1,000 public charging stations available to power the metro’s EVs. Besides public charging options, 4.8% of rental complexes are equipped with EV-charging stations.

If you’re an EV owner in San Diego, you get to enjoy 80 lane-miles of HOT (High Occupancy Toll) lanes, which exempt EVs from the occupancy requirement and make up 4% of the metro area’s highway lane mileage. Cost-wise, an eGallon is $1.9 and insuring your EV costs about $217/month.

As one of the largest metro areas in California and across the country, Los Angeles is shaping up to be another electric car hotspot. In fact, Los Angeles is number one in the nation for its sheer number of EVs, with 293K of them cruising the metro area’s streets. In terms of infrastructure, Los Angeles seems to be exceptional too – there are almost 4,780 public chargers across the metro area, one of the highest numbers in the country.

When it comes to hitting the road, Los Angeles has an impressive highway system, with 14.5% of its lane mileage representing HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes or about 800 HOV lane miles in total. Local support for EVs extends well beyond individual drivers, with clean fuel supporting almost 80% of LA’s public transportation system.

Oregon and Florida Crack the Top 10 Ranking

Besides California and Washington, Oregon also fares well with Portland coming up 4th for electric car friendliness. The Oregon metro area tallies about 30K electric cars, or about 2.8 of them per 100 households taking population distribution into account. You can charge your EV here, with the area having about 0.5 chargers per 1,000 households or a total of 470 public chargers. Besides these public options, 6% of apartment buildings offer the same feature to their renters. Portland also stands out for its commitment to increase air quality through a greener transit system: almost all the public transportation system (98%) is using clean fuel.

Miami, FL, is the only metro area to represent the South among the best places for electric cars. The Florida metro area also has a vibrant electric vehicle scene, with 36K EVs registered as of 2021. As the appetite for electric cars grows, so does the local infrastructure: there are now 850 public charging stations locally. Also, you can find this amenity in about 4.6% of apartment complexes. This means over 637K apartments offered renters access to charging stations in 2021, 18% more than in 2020.

About the Author:

Mirela Mohan is a real estate writer and lifestyle editor for Yardi, covering real estate trends, lifestyle and economy. You can contact Mirela via email: Mirela.Mohan@Yardi.com

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