Abstract:

This briefing takes an in-depth look at the 2018 market for electric vehicles in the 12-state Midwest region of the United States. It examines electric vehicle market uptake versus conventional vehicles, and how it relates to charging availability, electric vehicle model availability, and promotional actions that states, cities and utilities are taking to support market growth. Analyzing these factors in the Midwest allows us to evaluate region-specific solutions to help advance the electrification of transportation. This study examines the top 15 Midwest metropolitan areas by population as defined by the census metropolitan statistical areas. No single action or underlying condition explains the differences in electric vehicle market share in the Midwest. Factors such as market preference, model availability, public charging infrastructure, and local actions taken by different states, cities, and utilities differ across the metropolitan areas. On their own, these factors do not explain electric vehicle market share, but taken together they can have a large influence on electric vehicle adoption rates in metropolitan areas. Analyzing these factors in the Midwest allows us to evaluate region-specific solutions to help advance the electrification of transportation.