An analysis of data on electric vehicle demand and existing infrastructure in each state rated Alabama 31st in registered electric vehicle ownership but next to last in terms of ease of use and benefits of having one.
The study was conducted by Bumper, an online marketplace for used vehicles, and scored states in 10 categories — five related to infrastructure and five related to financial incentives.
It noted a Kelley Blue Book report that sales of electric vehicles increased 255 percent in the second quarter of 2021, with Americans buying 118,233 this year compared to 33,312 last year.
Alabama had 2,890 registered electric vehicles in 2020, or 0.05 percent of vehicle registrations in the state. It has 0.28 percent of the electric vehicles registered nationwide. California has the highest percentage of the country’s electric vehicles by far at 41.73 percent.
The study analyzed how states are positioned for a growth of demand for electric vehicles. Alabama ranked among the worst-off states for infrastructure, with only 2.9 charging stations per 100,000 residents added since 2017. California had the highest number at 30.1.
Overall, Washington was rated the best state for electric vehicles and Alaska was rated the worst. Alabama ranked the second worst, according to the study’s analysis of these categories:
Financial incentives were ranked by five metrics: the number of rebates and tax incentives found in the state; recharge cost; average price of gas; mean travel time to work; and state cost of an electric vehicle versus the cost of a gas-powered vehicle.
Infrastructure scores were determined by these five metrics: the number of new charging stations since 2017; the number of charging stations per 100,000 population; the number of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) ports per 100 charging stations; the number of EVSE ports per 100 electric vehicle vehicle registrations; and electric vehicle registrations as a percentage of all motor vehicles in the state.
In June, Consumer Choice Center’s Electric Vehicle Accessibility Index had Alabama tied with nine other states for the worst place to buy electric vehicles. The state bans electric vehicle manufacturers from selling vehicles directly to buyers, instead requiring them to send their vehicles to car dealerships. It costs $200 more to register an electric car in Alabama than a gas-powered one.
A study by the American Lung Association last year estimated that the state could save $431 million each year in public health costs if it electrifies its transportation sector by 2050.