Consumer Adoption of Electric Vehicles An Evaluation of Local Programs in the United States

April 2022
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Tressa Greschak, University of Michigan, Matilda Kreider, University of Michigan, Nathan Legault, University of Michigan

While transportation electrification is critically important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, light-duty electric vehicle adoption by individuals is still very low in the United States. Although state-level programs and city-level programs in the largest American cities are well understood, relatively little is known about electric vehicle adoption programs in small and mid-sized towns and cities. This study involved examining a sample of more than 2,000 municipalities of all sizes from all 50 states (plus D.C. and Puerto Rico) and documenting any electric vehicle-related actions they have taken; additionally, a sample of 30 investor-owned utilities was analyzed to understand how electric utilities support consumer electric vehicle adoption. The results of this research include a report, an interactive map of local-level electric vehicle programs, and a searchable database