California has been evaluated as having the second-best EV charging infrastructure in the United States, according to a recent analysis.
Automotive market research firm iSeeCars analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Energy through September of this year, revealing that California ranks second among all 50 states with one charger for every 480 residents. Vermont claimed the top spot with one charger for every 450 residents.
Massachusetts followed in third place with 539 residents per charger, followed by Colorado (651) and Connecticut (677). Washington state (763), Maine (793), New York (816), Oregon (894), and Maryland (981) also made the top 10 list.
Notably, California significantly outperformed other states in total charger count. A total of 81,1932 electric vehicle chargers were installed in California, accounting for more than 27% of the nation’s 299,798 total chargers. This means more than one out of every four chargers nationwide is located in California.
When examining by metro area, California regions also swept the top rankings.
Among the top 50 major metropolitan areas nationwide, the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region ranked first with 334 residents per charger. San Diego followed in second place with 432 residents, and Los Angeles took third place with 500 residents.
Specifically, the Los Angeles metropolitan area boasts 36,318 chargers, securing the largest charging infrastructure among major metropolitan areas nationwide.
Regarding charging costs, California showed relatively high price levels.
Assuming an electric vehicle travels 3.5 miles per kWh, the home charging cost for a 250-mile trip in California is approximately $21. In contrast, Louisiana, which enjoys lower electricity rates, costs only about $9. The national average for home charging a 250-mile trip is about $13.
When driving the same distance with a gasoline vehicle getting 30 miles per gallon and applying the LA area average gas price of $6.00 per gallon for the month of 30 days, the fuel cost is about $50, showing that EV charging remains significantly cheaper.
