Electric vehicle (EV) momentum is real. As recently reported in Bloomberg, the US has seen a surge in EV popularity. More than 7% of cars sold in the first half of this year have been electric, more than 1 million new EVs have been sold in the last 12 months, and total all-time sales have topped 3 million. The rate of change is accelerating as we see a significant shift toward mass adoption.
For those in charge of EV planning, infrastructure, and management, this rapid growth means having up-to-date data is critical. The reason is simple: With ownership all across the country exploding, data more than a year old is effectively obsolete.
That’s why Replica prioritized incorporating EV insights into our most detailed datasets, and our recently released Places Spring 2023 includes EV data. This new addition enables you to filter and analyze trips made by EVs, giving you a near real-time picture of the EV landscape.
To showcase the capabilities of the new EV data in the Replica platform, we took a look at EV adoption and driving patterns in five counties across the country (listed here from largest to smallest): Los Angeles County (CA), Dallas County (TX), Milwaukee County (WI), Bucks County (PA), and Gwinnett County (GA). We selected these counties based on their varying rates of EV penetration. On one end of the spectrum, in Los Angeles, more than 3% of the vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) on its roadways are driven by EVs. In stark contrast, in Milwaukee, the same figure is just 0.4%.
(To put this into context, the county in the US with the highest rate of EV VMT penetration is Santa Clara County (CA) at 7.2%. It’s clear the US has a long way to go before EVs make up even a quarter of all road traffic, let alone a majority of all trips. If you’re interested to know where your county stands today, check it out on Replica’s VMT and EV Tracker here).
Below, we take a deeper dive into EV adoption in these counties. Using Replica data, we can gain insights into the demographics and EV travel patterns, specifically looking at where EVs are on the road using Replica’s network link volumes feature.
1. Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, often regarded as the epicenter of EV adoption, stands out as a top location for EV adoption due to its robust charging infrastructure and a thriving EV community. With a high population density and progressive policies, Los Angeles has become a hub for EV adoption, and it comes as no surprise that recently, the 2023 State Transportation Electrification Scorecard, which ranks states on how effectively they’ve used policies and investments to promote adoption of EVs, ranked California as number one.
Replica data shows that on a typical Thursday in Spring 2023, in Los Angeles County, 657,000 EV trips were made by 182,000 trip-takers compared to the 21.4 million non-EV trips made by 6.37 million trip-takers. The top two race/ethnicity categories of the EV trip takers are 44% White Non-Hispanic/Latino and 28% Hispanic or Latino Origin, and the median household income is $185,000.
2. Dallas County, Texas
In the heart of Texas, Dallas County is making strides in EV adoption. With recent legislation in Texas aimed at expediting the expansion of charging infrastructure, the growth of EV ownership in the county is expected to continue to rise.
Replica data shows that on a typical Thursday in Spring 2023, in Dallas County, 36,200 EV trips were made by 10,700 trip-takers compared to the 5.43 million non-EV trips made by 1.66 million trip-takers. The EV trip takers' top two race/ethnicity categories are 49.5% White Non-Hispanic/Latino and 20.7% Hispanic or Latino Origin, and the median income is $161,000.
3. Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Milwaukee County was recently characterized as slow to embrace EVs. Earlier this year, the Milwaukee Sentinel highlighted that the city of Milwaukee was ranked among the worst in EV charging availability. However, they also stated that EV ownership is steadily growing in Wisconsin, and the state has secured $78.5 million in federal funds to expand a network of fast charging stations along its interstates and state highways.
Replica data shows that on a typical Thursday in Spring 2023, in Milwaukee County, 6,280 EV trips were made by 1,870 trip-takers compared to the 1.87 million non-EV trips made by 575,000 trip-takers. The EV trip-takers' top two race/ethnicity categories are 71% White Non-Hispanic/Latino and 12.3% Black Non-Hispanic/Latino; the median household income is $137,000.
4. Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Bucks County, nestled in Pennsylvania, is emerging as an unexpected EV hotspot. Recently, it was reported that a growing number of counties in Pennsylvania, including Bucks County, are embracing the EV revolution.
Replica data shows that on a typical Thursday in Spring 2023, in Bucks County, 15,000 EV trips were made by 4,420 trip-takers compared to the 1.37 million non-EV trips made by 430,000 trip-takers. The EV trip-takers' top two race/ethnicity categories are 85.1% White Non-Hispanic/Latino and 5.63% Asian Non-Hispanic/Latino, and the median household income is $162,000.
5. Gwinnett County, Georgia
Gwinnett County is making significant steps in electrifying its transportation landscape in Georgia. A recent milestone in this effort is the county's successful $20 million RAISE grant award. As reported by the Gwinnett Daily Post, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock emphasized the transformative impact of this grant, stating, “By increasing capacity for bus bays, electric vehicle charging stations, creating new sidewalks and modernizing amenities, Georgians in Gwinnett County will be on the frontlines of our emerging clean energy economy.”
Replica data shows that on a typical Thursday in Spring 2023, in Gwinnett County, 30,100 EV trips were made by 8,670 trip-takers compared to the 2 million non-EV trips made by 605,000 trip-takers. The EV trip takers' top two races & ethnicities are 41.5% White Non-Hispanic/Latino and 24.3% Black Non-Hispanic/Latino, and the median household income is $133,000.
While each county has its unique journey and challenges, they collectively symbolize a nationwide transition towards increased EV adoption. Replica's up-to-date data empowers us to navigate the diverse EV landscapes of these counties, and what sets Replica apart is how easy it is to conduct this type of analysis in the Replica platform. Replica's user-friendly interface, coupled with an expansive set of data, makes it incredibly easy for anyone to perform detailed analyses like those included in this article. By adding just a few filters within the Replica app, users can effortlessly tailor their analysis to any specific geography of interest. This means that whether you're examining urban EV adoption rates, rural EV charging siting, or anything in between, Replica streamlines the process into a matter of clicks.
Learn more by downloading Replica's EV Guide.
Interested in doing an EV analysis of your geography? Get in touch here.
