What cities tops in EVs?

[thankyouOB]

from wired:

It’s a stat that should surprise absolutely no one. More than half of all electric vehicles in the U.S. are silently running around five major cities.

According to the auto industry wonks at R.L. Polk, 52 percent of EVs in the country are based in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. Exactly as you’d expect — although Atlanta wouldn’t have been our first guess.

The breakdown is just as predictable, with San Francisco accounting for 19.5 percent of EV sales or leases, followed by LA with 15.4 percent, Seattle at eight percent, NY at 4.6 percent, and Atlanta bringing up the rear at 4.4 percent.

The reasons for the EV domination in big cities are obvious. Aside from a more robust charging infrastructure, in California there are numerous tax cuts — both at the state and local level — for EV drivers, and combined with HOV lane access, the incentive to go electric is strong. Access to carpool lanes is also available in Georgia (one reason Atlanta makes the list) and New York, where EV drivers can get a sticker to access the 40-mile stretch of the Long Island Expressway that leads into NYC.

 

[braineo]

Atlanta makes the list because of the $5K Georgia tax credit for both purchase or lease - makes the Leaf cheaper than the cheapest Nissan gas car, not only at purchase but forever. And also the $0.013 per KWH TOU rate from Georgia Power.

If you can drive a car technically free for what you currently spend on gas, why not?

 

[GregH]

Georgia Power was a big EV supporter back in the 90s.. They begged GM for EV1s and although technically the EV1 was only leased in California and Arizona, a good number did end up in Atlanta in the hands of Georgia Power. On our first EV1 cross country trip we plugged into several Georgia permanent inductive magnecharger installations including Savannah.

 

[Berlino]

Oslo?

 

[cgaydos]

Atlanta makes the list because of the $5K Georgia tax credit for both purchase or lease - makes the Leaf cheaper than the cheapest Nissan gas car, not only at purchase but forever. And also the $0.013 per KWH TOU rate from Georgia Power.

If you can drive a car technically free for what you currently spend on gas, why not?

But for some reason Colorado, with the $6k tax rebate, hasn't been an EV hotbed.

Well, it has in very select geographies. Last month I took a LEAF to Boulder and saw 4 other LEAFs in just 40 minutes of touring the city. But otherwise they are practically invisible.

By contrast, last month on a trip to the SF peninsula I saw 6 LEAFs in a 15 minute trip (non-freeway) from my office to the hotel - plus a large assortment of other EVs and PHEVs. In the SF bay no one comments on a LEAF because they are so common. In my part of Colorado no one comments on our LEAFs because most have no idea what a LEAF is.