Last year, these states had the lowest number of plug-in vehicle registrations

What is the estimated number of electric vehicles on the roads in your area? In states like Mississippi and North Dakota, spotting an electric vehicle during your daily commute may be a rare occurrence. According to Energy.gov’s latest Fact of the Week (FOTW), the figures for plug-in vehicle registrations, including plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and fully electric vehicles (EVs), reveal that in some states, the percentage is surprisingly low.

As of December 2023, ten states had a plug-in vehicle registration share of less than 0.5%. The bottom five states were:

1. Louisiana: 0.3% plug-in registration share
2. West Virginia: 0.28%
3. Wyoming: 0.28%
4. North Dakota: 0.20%
5. Mississippi: 0.19%

While these numbers might lead to assumptions about low sales and adoption rates in these states, other states have achieved much higher registration numbers. California leads with 4.3%, followed by the District of Columbia at 3.52%. Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon round out the top five.

In addition, data from Argonne National Laboratory, provided in the FOTW, indicates that 2023 saw a record number of plug-in vehicle sales, with over 1.4 million units sold – a 50% surge from 2022. The majority, 80%, were EVs. The overall market share climbed to 9.3% in 2023, up from 6.8% the previous year.

This data offers insights into the trends surrounding electric vehicles, highlighting a political divide as well. States with lower plug-in registration shares tend to be politically conservative, while the leading states lean towards the opposite end of the spectrum.

Geography and population density also play a significant role in electric vehicle adoption. States like Wyoming and North Dakota, with sparse populations, require more robust charging and support infrastructure compared to states like California and D.C.