{"id":21613,"date":"2026-06-22T06:41:38","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:41:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/?p=21613"},"modified":"2026-06-24T06:07:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T13:07:08","slug":"states-leading-ev-adoption-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Best States for Electric Vehicles (2026): The West Leads EV Adoption, Oklahoma Speeds Up"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><em>Last updated: June 22, 2026.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/04\/19\/world\/middleeast\/energy-secretary-gas-prices.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Rising oil prices<\/a> are hitting American households hard \u2014 and nowhere more than among the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/economy\/consumers\/high-gas-prices-wreak-havoc-on-americas-army-of-supercommuters-99ee6cc0?mod=economy_lead_pos1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">long-distance commuters<\/a> who fled big cities during the pandemic in search of cheaper housing, only to trade rent savings for higher fuel costs. For that group \u2014 and for a growing number of cost-conscious drivers \u2014 <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/23\/opinion\/electric-vehicles-solar-gas-prices.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">the case for going electric<\/a> has rarely been stronger.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The new EV market hit a temporary speed bump after the federal $7,500 tax credit expired, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coxautoinc.com\/insights\/q1-2026-ev-sales-report-commentary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sales dropping roughly 27% <\/a>in the first quarter of 2026. But the broader market continues to expand, driven by a surge in second-hand supply. Used EVs are now reaching scale, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.recurrentauto.com\/research\/used-electric-vehicle-buying-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sales rising between 12% and 35%<\/a> in recent months as more drivers enter the market at lower price points.<\/p>\n<p>Interest in electric vehicles remains near record levels. More than <strong>6.7 million EVs are now registered across the U.S.<\/strong>\u2014 over three times the 2021 total, when adoption began accelerating sharply.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-1ams6\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" title=\"U.S. EV Registrations More Than Triple In Three Years\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/1ams6\/7\/\" height=\"441\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Line chart\" data-external=\"1\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script><\/p>\n<p>As EV adoption grows, the next question is: <strong>Are all states equally prepared? <\/strong> Where you live still determines whether owning an EV feels like a smart financial move, at least in the short term. In Washington, a full battery charge costs much less than a tank of gas. Cross into West Virginia, though, and that saving shrinks to the smallest in the country, because a <a href=\"https:\/\/mountainstatespotlight.org\/2026\/03\/03\/rates-power-lawmakers-wv-rise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">coal-heavy grid<\/a> limits the financial case for switching.<\/p>\n<p>The conversation is spilling into unexpected territory, too. Where charging infrastructure is thin, and range anxiety runs high, many EV owners are holding onto their gas car as a backup \u2014 and that second vehicle needs somewhere to go. Self storage is one of the less talked about beneficiaries: <a href=\"https:\/\/trends.google.com\/trends\/explore?date=today%205-y&amp;geo=US&amp;q=car%20storage&amp;hl=en-US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">vehicle storage search interest hit a record high in 2026<\/a>, with <strong>the <span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>split-fleet<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d<\/span><\/span> household emerging as one of the market\u2019s newer demand drivers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The challenges, the cost, the momentum \u2014 and the second car sitting in storage \u2014 may look similar nationwide. How each state responds is not. To see <strong>which states fare best<\/strong> \u2014 and which are lagging \u2014 we analyzed all 50 states plus the District of Columbia across more than 20 indicators grouped into eight categories: EV adoption, charging infrastructure, multi-car household capacity, cost and affordability, policy and incentives, environmental context and climate fit, as well as interest and awareness.<\/p>\n<p>The results reveal a country moving at very different speeds: some states pulling ahead, others still waiting for the conditions that make EV ownership practical.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-MurIj\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" title=\"How EV-Ready Is Your State in 2026?\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/MurIj\/3\/\" height=\"598\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Choropleth map\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><strong>The West holds seven of the top 10 EV hotspots of 2026.<\/strong> Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Utah bring clean grids, strong charging networks and active policy to the table. Nevada and Hawaii contribute year-round climate advantages that no northeastern state can match. But the sharper story in 2026 is at both ends of the distribution \u2014 in the Southern and Midwestern states entering the conversation for the first time and in the five states at the bottom where the barriers to EV ownership remain high, specific and largely unsolved.<\/p>\n<p><strong>California<\/strong>\u2019s dominance in the EV market is difficult to overstate. <strong>The state accounts for nearly <span data-teams=\"true\">33<\/span>% of all electric vehicles in the country<\/strong> \u2014 roughly 502 registered EVs per 10,000 residents \u2014 and hosts over 62,000 public charging stations, by far the largest network of any state. The state has spent decades building the most comprehensive zero-emission vehicle policy framework in the nation, layering mandates, incentives and emissions standards into a system that other states have often followed rather than invented.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"default-embed\" style=\"display: block; border: none; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100% !important;\" title=\"EV Registrations by State\" src=\"https:\/\/alexzohar.github.io\/coworking-spaces-by-location\/EV_Registrations_by_State.html\" width=\"100%\" height=\"800\" frameborder=\"0\" aria-label=\"Table: EV Registrations by State\" data-external=\"1\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><br \/>\n<\/iframe><br \/>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/alexzohar.github.io\/coworking-spaces-by-location\/embedscript.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\"><strong>Vermont leads the nation in public charging stations per 10,000 households<\/strong>, at 18.4, while <strong>Oklahoma<\/strong> has seen EV registrations surge by <strong>nearly ten times (994%) over five years<\/strong> \u2014 the fastest growth rate in the country \u2014 fueled by cheap electricity and a consumer base that has decidedly made the switch.<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Top-10-best-states-for-electric-vehicles-in-2026\"><\/span>Top 10 best states for electric vehicles in 2026<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Where you live can make or break the EV experience \u2014 and in some states, the advantages are stacking up fast. We\u2019re zooming in on <strong>the 10 states where EV ownership makes the most sense right now<\/strong>, based on key factors like charging infrastructure, adoption rates and overall costs, with additional context from elements like incentives, air quality and vehicle storage options.<\/p>\n<p>Together, these top performers span five time zones, three distinct climate profiles, and reflect two very different paths to EV adoption: mandate-driven and demand-driven.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-California\"><\/span>1. California<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: EV registrations, national EV share, ZEV policy, public charging volume<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.planetizen.com\/news\/2026\/01\/136800-california-beats-ev-adoption-goal-over-1-million-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">California has beaten its own goal in EV ownership<\/a>, now holding nearly <span data-teams=\"true\">33% <\/span>of all electric vehicles in the country: 502 EVs per 10,000 residents. Behind that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.ca.gov\/news\/2026-01\/california-surpasses-25-million-zev-sales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dominance<\/a>\u00a0sits a charging network of 14 public stations per 10,000 households, third-highest in the nation. Here, a full battery charge costs 51% less than a full gas tank.<\/p>\n<p>The Zero Emission Vehicle mandate is the most comprehensive in the country, 56% of electricity comes from renewables, and county-level charging coverage is 100%. At nearly 12% of multifamily units offering EV charging, California is the benchmark every other state is measured against. And despite high retail electricity prices, EV drivers in California have contributed more in utility revenues than they cost to serve \u2014 putting downward pressure on overall electric rates between 2011 and 2024, according to an independent analysis by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.synapse-energy.com\/sites\/default\/files\/Synapse_California_Factsheet_EV_Rates_24-023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Synapse Energy Economics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-Washington\"><\/span>2. Washington<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: Fuel cost savings, clean public transit, multifamily EV charging<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Washington is the most complete EV ecosystem outside California \u2014 and in one respect, it outranks even the top state. At 11.90 cents\/kWh, a full charge costs over 54% less than a tank of gas, the widest fuel cost differential in the dataset. Here, EV registrations have grown 248% over five years, 7.5% of public transit runs on clean fuel, and 14% of multifamily units offer EV charging. To back up its residents\u2019 EV needs, The Evergreen State holds 8.5 public charging stations per 10,000 households and nearly 7,600 charging locations statewide.<\/p>\n<p>Policy is accelerating that momentum. A low- and moderate-income instant rebate program proved <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govtech.com\/transportation\/was-washington-states-ev-incentive-program-too-successful\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">so popular<\/a> that it exhausted its $45 million budget in under three months. A <a href=\"https:\/\/environmentalhealthsafetybrief.sidley.com\/2026\/04\/16\/washington-state-allows-direct-sales-of-electric-vehicles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">new law<\/a> now allows select EV-only manufacturers to sell directly to consumers \u2014 bypassing the traditional dealership model. On the mandate side, 43% of all new car sales must be zero-emission by 2027, rising to 51% in 2028 and 100% by 2035. State officials are confident compliance is on track, supported by a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aol.com\/articles\/wa-car-makers-may-not-173900927.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">credit banking system<\/a> that gives manufacturers flexibility when annual targets fall short.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-Colorado\"><\/span>3. Colorado<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: Multifamily EV charging, public charging density, ZEV policy<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>No state does more for apartment renters who own EVs. Colorado leads the nation with 16% of multifamily units offering EV charging \u2014 a meaningful advantage in a state where a significant share of residents don\u2019t own their home or garage. That\u2019s backed by strong public infrastructure: 10.4 charging stations per 10,000 households, fourth-highest in the country.<\/p>\n<p>The state impresses on the ownership side, as well. A full charge costs 44.5% less than a tank of gas at 15 cents\/kWh, and purchase incentives provide additional savings for buyers. Here, EV registrations have grown 395% over five years, and with an active ZEV policy and 43% of electricity coming from renewables, the grid powering all those vehicles is getting cleaner too.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4-Oregon\"><\/span>4. Oregon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: Renewable electricity, ZEV policy, air quality<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One of the nation\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/energyinfo.oregon.gov\/blog\/2025\/3\/18\/oregon-department-of-energy-celebrates-no-9-ranking-for-most-energy-efficient-states\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">greenest states<\/a>, Oregon generates 66% of its electricity from renewable sources \u2014 fifth-highest in the country \u2014 meaning EV drivers run on one of the cleanest grids around. Registrations have grown 222.5% over five years, with the infrastructure to back it up: Public charging sits at nearly 9 stations per 10,000 households, and 10% of multifamily units offer charging access.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, by 2024, one in seven new cars sold in Oregon was electric \u2014 a baseline few states can match. Growth has moderated since then, partly due to the federal tax credit expiring, but the foundation Oregon has built is hard to argue with: a clean grid, strong policy support and a consumer base that was among the earliest to make the switch.<\/p>\n<p>Oregon is still one of the easiest and most supportive places to live with an EV, but <a href=\"https:\/\/energyinfo.oregon.gov\/blog\/2025\/3\/18\/oregon-department-of-energy-celebrates-no-9-ranking-for-most-energy-efficient-states\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">looming per-mile fees<\/a> and periodic rebate pauses keep it just below the very top tier of EV havens like California and Colorado.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5-Utah\"><\/span>5. Utah<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: Multi-car household rates, multifamily EV charging, fuel savings<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/adventure-travel\/destinations\/north-america\/most-adventurous-states-in-america\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">outdoorsy state<\/a> if there ever was one, Utah ranks second nationally for households with two or more cars (71%) and third for households with three or more (33%). That multi-vehicle culture translates directly into EV demand \u2014 and the economics support it. At 12.20 cents\/kWh, a full charge runs 49% cheaper than a gas fill-up. Here, EV registrations have grown 313% over five years, and the numbers are primed to rise even further, given the increasingly affordable prices in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/show\/why-the-red-state-of-utah-is-going-green-and-embracing-electric-vehicles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">second-hand EV market<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The infrastructure is keeping pace: It\u2019s become noticeably easier to find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/salt-lake-city\/2025\/01\/22\/utah-electric-vehicle-charging-stations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">EV charging stations in Utah<\/a>, as 15% of multifamily units offer charging (fourth-highest nationally), and public charging sits at 8 stations per 10,000 households.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6-Nevada\"><\/span>6. Nevada<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: Climate for battery performance, renewable energy, EV growth<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Nevada offers genuinely favorable conditions for EV ownership. Battery performance is optimal for 58% of the year, as temperatures rarely drop to levels that meaningfully degrade range, and 44% of the state\u2019s electricity already comes from renewables. Fueling costs reflect that advantage \u2014 a full charge runs 45% less than a comparable gas fill-up. Drivers have noticed: EV registrations have surged nearly 420% over five years, supported by <a href=\"https:\/\/ndep.nv.gov\/air\/clean-cars-nevada\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Clean Cars Nevada\u2019s Zero Emission Vehicle policy<\/a>, which continues to drive infrastructure investment across the state.<\/p>\n<p>Underlying all of this is a structural tension that Nevada hasn\u2019t yet resolved. As EV adoption grows \u2014 good news for emissions and long-term fuel savings \u2014 the state\u2019s reliance on <a href=\"https:\/\/nevadacurrent.com\/2024\/06\/27\/electric-vehicles-a-boon-for-nevadas-economy-workers-and-environment-say-groups\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">per-gallon gas taxes<\/a> to fund roads becomes increasingly strained. Highway revenue simply isn\u2019t keeping pace with costs, which has pushed policymakers to consider higher registration fees, fuel-tax adjustments, or eventually a mileage-based system. That combination of strong momentum and unsettled fiscal footing is precisely why Nevada earns a spot in the top 10.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7-Maryland\"><\/span>7. Maryland<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: Fuel cost savings, county-level charging coverage, ZEV policy<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Maryland makes the top tier on the strength of its EV economics and reach. A full charge costs 52% less than a tank of gas \u2014 the second-widest fuel savings differential in the dataset, behind only Washington. EV registrations have grown 340% over five years, and county-level charging coverage is complete at 100% and the state has formally adopted California\u2019s Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) standards.<\/p>\n<p>The financial capacity is there, too: at a median household income of $102,905, Maryland households are among the best positioned in the country to absorb the upfront cost of an EV. Meanwhile, public charging sits at 7.0 stations per 10,000 households.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, Maryland\u2019s location along the Northeast megaregion and the I-95 corridor embeds it in one of the country\u2019s busiest and most infrastructure-rich travel networks, where EV demand is reinforced by constant cross-state movement. <a href=\"https:\/\/environment.transportation.org\/news\/maryland-dot-issues-more-nevi-funds-to-build-ev-chargers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Federal NEVI funding<\/a> is accelerating deployment of fast EV chargers along key routes like I-95, I-70, and I-83, which is set to strengthen an already dense and interoperable EV charging ecosystem across the DC\u2013Baltimore\u2013Northern Virginia corridor.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8-Hawaii\"><\/span>8. Hawaii<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: Climate for battery performance, air quality, clean energy<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As far as the environment is concerned, Hawaii\u2019s natural conditions make it arguably the most EV-friendly environment in the country. It leads the nation in air quality and maintains year-round temperatures that keep battery performance consistently optimal \u2014 two claims no other state can claim. That\u2019s one of the things that puts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2024\/04\/13\/why-hawaii-is-becoming-a-leader-in-us-ev-adoption.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Hawaii at the forefront of EV adoption<\/a>: 782 EVs per 10,000 households ranks second nationally, and multi-car households sit seventh in the country, and the gap between insuring an EV versus a conventional car is the third narrowest in the nation, at just $21.<\/p>\n<p>The tradeoffs, however, are real. At 42.90 cents\/kWh, residential electricity is the most expensive among the top-ranked states, meaning charging at home costs significantly more than elsewhere. Public infrastructure is also constrained by geography, with only 7.2 stations per 10,000 households \u2014 a ceiling that\u2019s difficult to raise on an island grid.<\/p>\n<p>The state\u2019s charging infrastructure challenges are ongoing \u2014 a 16-month permitting delay on Oahu illustrates the structural limits, though the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.evinfrastructurenews.com\/ev-technology\/hawaii-regulator-approves-ev-charging-pilot-extensions-with-tighter-oversight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Hawaii PUC<\/a> recently extended key EV tariff pilots through mid-2027 to keep mid-day renewable charging rates in place.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9-Vermont\"><\/span>9. Vermont<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths:<\/strong> <strong>Public charging density, renewable electricity, EV density<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Vermont leads the entire country in public charging density: 18.4 stations per 10,000 households \u2014 the highest in the dataset. That network supports an EV base that punches well above the state\u2019s size, at 263.7 EVs per 10,000 residents.<\/p>\n<p>The grid behind it is the cleanest in the nation: 99.7% of Vermont\u2019s electricity comes from renewables, meaning EV drivers run on essentially carbon-free power. A full charge costs 48.6% less than a tank of gas<span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW64893918 BCX8\">,<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW64893918 BCX8\">\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW64893918 BCX8\">what\u2019s<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW64893918 BCX8\"> more,<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/qmerit.com\/locations\/vermont\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vermont\u2019s EV incentive roster<\/a> is unusually big for its size.\u00a0 Most of those incentives are statewide. <a href=\"https:\/\/afdc.energy.gov\/laws\/all?state=VT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Agency of Transportation<\/a> runs income-tiered incentives of up to $5,000 toward a new EV \u2014 paired with a separate <span class=\"TextRun Highlight SCXW81015776 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW81015776 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>Replace Your Ride\u201d grant of up to $5,000 for scrapping an old gas vehicle \u2014 both available to low- and moderate-income residents on a first-come basis.<\/p>\n<p>Local utilities then stack their own rebates on top: Burlington Electric leads with offers reaching several thousand dollars, while smaller municipal utilities run VPPSA-backed programs. Many also sweeten the deal with discounted home chargers and time-of-use rates that reward off-peak charging.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10-Massachusetts\"><\/span>10. Massachusetts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Strengths: Public charging density, EV growth rate, ZEV policy<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Massachusetts ranks second in the nation for public charging density: 14 stations per 10,000 households, with more than 10,200 public charging locations statewide. EV registrations have surged 292% over five years \u2014 fourth-fastest in the country \u2014 backed by a ZEV mandate aligned with California\u2019s standards and a median household income of $104,828 that gives consumers the financial capacity to make the EV jump.<\/p>\n<p>Now the state is pushing further, eyeing to turn EVs into grid assets. The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has launched a first-of-its-kind <a href=\"https:\/\/electrek.co\/2026\/02\/03\/free-v2x-chargers-will-let-massachusetts-evs-power-the-grid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X)<\/a> demonstration program, installing bi-directional chargers at no cost for school districts, municipalities, and residents statewide. The goal is to test how EVs can return power to buildings and the grid, reduce peak demand, and ease pressure on grid infrastructure \u2014 with participating chargers expected to deliver over one megawatt of power back to the grid during demand response events. All chargers are expected to be operational by summer 2026.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"EV-adoption-rates-Which-states-are-picking-up-steam\"><\/span>EV adoption rates: Which states are picking up steam?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Some states are adapting to the EV revolution at unexpected rates. <strong>Oklahoma leads the nation, with registered EVs up tenfold (994%) over five years<\/strong> \u2014 and it has done so with no ZEV mandate and minimal incentives, on the strength of cheap electricity, high multi-car household rates and a consumer base that has decidedly made the switch. <strong>Montana follows at 487%, then Arkansas (454%), New Jersey (422%) and Nevada (420%)<\/strong> \u2014 a group that spans every region of the country and every theory of how EV adoption happens.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"default-embed\" style=\"display: block; border: none; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100% !important;\" title=\"EV Registration Growth by State\" src=\"https:\/\/alexzohar.github.io\/coworking-spaces-by-location\/ev_growth_table_tiered_v3.html\" width=\"100%\" height=\"575\" frameborder=\"0\" aria-label=\"Table: EV Registration Growth by State\" data-external=\"1\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><br \/>\n<\/iframe>Some of these states have mandates. Several do not. What they have in common is that the underlying economics work \u2014 electricity is affordable, the grid is clean enough to make the environmental case, and enough consumers have reached the income threshold where the upfront cost of an EV becomes manageable. Infrastructure followed demand in most of these states, instead of the other way around. The states worth watching next are the ones where demand is already building, but the charging network has not caught up. Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa all fit that profile. When the infrastructure arrives, the growth numbers will follow.<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\">\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"States-where-renters-have-easy-access-to-EV-charging-and-states-where-the-infrastructure-lags\"><\/span>States where renters have easy access to EV charging (and states where the infrastructure lags)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Homeowners can install a Level 2 charger in a garage. Renters cannot. They depend entirely on what their building provides \u2014 and in most states, that is very little.<\/p>\n<p>There are 12 states in which more than 10% of multifamily buildings offer EV chargers, mostly in the West and the South. Colorado leads with 16% of multifamily units equipped for EV charging. Florida (15.0%), Utah (14.6%) and Arizona (14.1%) follow. California sits at 11.7% \u2014 well above average, but still leaving nearly nine in ten rental units without charging access.<\/p>\n<p>At the other end are Mississippi (0.1%), North Dakota (0.4%) and West Virginia (2.8%). In states where public charging is also thin, the combination makes EV ownership a genuine logistical problem for renters. Renter households are among the most cost-sensitive consumers in the country \u2014 exactly the group with the most to gain from lower EV running costs. The multifamily charging gap is where the next phase of EV adoption will be won or lost. For city renters, pairing an EV with strong public transit is the most effective combination \u2014 both for cutting costs and reducing emissions, as shown in our analysis of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/best-walk-and-ride-cities-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">best walk and ride cities in the U.S.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Then there are also the states with above-average EV search interest but below-average renter charging \u2014 like Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa \u2014 which are set up for a catch-up cycle: The demand is there; public and multifamily charging simply have to follow.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-LC14J\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" title=\"Renters Are Being Left Behind\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/LC14J\/1\/\" height=\"1728\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Bar Chart\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bottom-5-states-Where-EV-ownership-faces-headwinds\"><\/span>Bottom 5 states: Where EV ownership faces headwinds<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Not every state is ready, and for the five at the bottom, the barriers are specific enough to name.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Arkansas\"><\/span>Arkansas<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Although <a href=\"https:\/\/armoneyandpolitics.com\/ev-arkansas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Arkansas has shown promise in the adoption of EVs<\/a>, its rural environments make it naturally more difficult to develop proper EV charging infrastructure. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nwahomepage.com\/news\/arkansas-lags-in-ev-sales-ranks-46th-in-us-market-share\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The state claims a small fraction of the US market share,<\/a> especially after the federal tax credits on EVs were dropped back in September.<\/p>\n<p>Right now, many things are just not working in Arkansas\u2019s favor. The state has about 43 EVs per 10,000 residents, a public charging network of 3 stations per 10,000 households, and only 4.5% of multifamily units offering EV charging. Here, we find no ZEV policy, no meaningful purchase incentive and an EV insurance average that costs $55 per month above conventional vehicles.<\/p>\n<p>The grid still leans heavily on fossil fuels, which caps the fuel savings at 26% \u2014 the second-smallest differential in the bottom five, despite residential electricity averaging just 12.30 cents\/kWh.<\/p>\n<p>Still, there is one countervailing signal: the state saw a <a href=\"https:\/\/katv.com\/news\/local\/arkansas-sees-record-surge-in-electric-vehicle-registrations-department-of-finance-and-administration-dfa-scott-hardin-evolve-auto-tesla-cybertruck-little-rock-collin-riggin-sales-numbers-rivian-polestar-ev-tax-credit-big-beautiful-bill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">record surge in EV registrations<\/a> in early 2025.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Alaska\"><\/span>Alaska<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The structural barriers here are unlike anywhere else. Back in 2025, Alaska\u2019s sole shipper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/newsletters\/power-switch\/2025\/11\/11\/why-these-alaskans-cant-get-evs-00646194\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">put a stop to EV deliveries<\/a> due to the fire risks involved in shipping lithium-ion batteries across the sea \u2014 an issue that\u2019s still in <a href=\"https:\/\/renewablejuneau.org\/2026\/02\/04\/southeast-alaska-electric-vehicle-shipping-solutions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">discussion<\/a> in Juneau as of February. Then there\u2019s the fact that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uaf.edu\/acep\/files\/projects\/Cold-Weather-Issues-for-EVs-in-Alaska.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">cold weather can be quite hard on an EV<\/a>, as freezing temperatures slow the chemical reactions inside the battery, slashing real-world range by up to 39% and risking permanent damage if the car is left unplugged in extreme cold. That also means that Alaskan EV owners essentially need to keep their car plugged in the way Diesel drivers plug in block heaters \u2014 and that\u2019s in a state where residential electricity averages 24.80 cents\/kWh, the second-highest rate in the country. Plus, a full battery costs 31.7% less than a gas fill-up, a narrower margin than most states.<\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, scientists have shown that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucalgary.ca\/sustainability\/mobilizing-alberta\/climate-action-blogs\/do-evs-work-cold-weather\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">EVs perform just as well as gas-powered cars in cold weather<\/a> (the latter vehicles having their own issues at cold temperatures). In fact, the main issue in Alaska still has to do with infrastructure. County-level charging coverage reaches just 50% of the state. Only 196 public charging locations exist statewide \u2014 2.6 stations per 10,000 households \u2014 leaving large parts of the state with no accessible public charging at all. Alaska also has no ZEV policy, no purchase incentive, only 0.6% of multifamily units with EV charging and just 25% of months with temperatures favorable for battery performance: The lowest share in the nation.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mississippi\"><\/span>Mississippi<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Down in Mississippi, we see the lowest EV density of any state: 25 per 10,000 residents. The public charging network is the second-thinnest in the dataset at 1.8 stations per 10,000 households, and 0.1% of multifamily units offer EV charging. A full battery costs 34.2% less than a gas fill-up, but the biggest EV insurance penalty in the entire dataset \u2014 $79 per month above conventional vehicles \u2014 takes a significant bite out of that saving. No ZEV policy, no meaningful purchase incentives, 6% renewable electricity generation.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly enough, <a href=\"https:\/\/mississippitoday.org\/2025\/08\/07\/mississippi-marketplace-bumps-in-the-road-ahead-for-evs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Mississippi hosts major EV manufacturing investments<\/a> \u2014 including a $500M Nissan plant upgrade and a planned $1.9B battery facility \u2014 yet EVs account for just a fraction of the state\u2019s vehicle market when compared to the national average share, making it one of the lowest EV adoption states in the country despite its growing role in producing them.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"West-Virginia\"><\/span>West Virginia<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In West Virginia, a full battery costs barely less than a gas fill-up. In fact, it\u2019s the smallest savings differential of any state in the dataset, and that comes as a direct result of the state\u2019s reliance on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wvtf.org\/news\/2026-03-12\/coals-uncertain-future-divides-two-states-and-drives-up-power-bills\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">coal-generated electricity<\/a>, which is becoming <a href=\"https:\/\/mountainstatespotlight.org\/2026\/03\/03\/rates-power-lawmakers-wv-rise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">increasingly pricey<\/a> to produce and maintain. The grid keeps costs from falling far enough to make the EV cost case compelling, despite a residential electricity rate of 15.07 cents\/kWh that looks moderate on paper. Public charging covers 2.5 stations per 10,000 households, only 2.8% of multifamily units offer EV charging, the state has no ZEV policy or purchase incentive, and 6.6% of electricity comes from renewables.<\/p>\n<p>On the bright side, a <a href=\"https:\/\/yaleclimateconnections.org\/2025\/10\/free-test-drives-bring-more-evs-to-rural-appalachia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">free two-week test drive program<\/a> called <a href=\"https:\/\/yaleclimateconnections.org\/2025\/10\/free-test-drives-bring-more-evs-to-rural-appalachia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Rural Reimagined<\/a> is bringing EVs directly to Appalachian communities across West Virginia and neighboring states, betting that hands-on experience will overcome rural skepticism \u2014 and that the region\u2019s cheaper electricity and high mileage driving habits actually make it a stronger economic case for EV ownership than many assume.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Louisiana\"><\/span>Louisiana<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Back in 2024, Shreveport was slightly outpacing the national average in charging infrastructure growth, yet even then, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ktalnews.com\/news\/mississippi-ranks-as-least-electric-vehicle-friendly-state-louisiana-comes-in-second\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Louisiana was one of the least EV-friendly states in the U.S.<\/a> Things have not improved since.<\/p>\n<p>Last in the 2026 index, Louisiana records the lowest public charging coverage in the entire dataset: 1.5 stations per 10,000 households, with 813 charging locations serving a population of nearly 4.6 million. The fuel savings differential is also one of the smallest in the dataset.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, only 5% of electricity comes from renewables \u2014 second-lowest in the country. EV insurance costs run $62 per month above conventional vehicles, and just 2% of multifamily units offer EV charging. No ZEV policy, minimal purchase incentives.<\/p>\n<p>Still, Louisiana brought in <a href=\"https:\/\/louisianacleanfuels.starchapter.com\/blog\/id\/710\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">plenty of registered EVs in early 2026<\/a>, with growth heavily concentrated in urban and suburban parishes \u2014 Jefferson, Orleans and East Baton Rouge leading the way \u2014 while rural areas show slow but steady gains, constrained less by disinterest than by limited charging infrastructure.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-EV-price-gap-is-narrowing-and-the-used-market-is-closing-it-faster\"><\/span>The EV price gap is narrowing (and the used market is closing it faster)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div data-test-render-count=\"1\">\n<div class=\"group\">\n<div class=\"contents\">\n<div class=\"group relative relative pb-3\" data-is-streaming=\"false\">\n<div class=\"font-claude-response relative leading-[1.65rem] [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:bg-bg-000\/50 [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:border-0.5 [&amp;_pre&gt;div]:border-border-400 [&amp;_.ignore-pre-bg&gt;div]:bg-transparent [&amp;_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&amp;_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&amp;_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&amp;_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8\">\n<div class=\"standard-markdown grid-cols-1 grid [&amp;_&gt;_*]:min-w-0 gap-3 standard-markdown\">\n<p>The price gap between electric and gas has been closing steadily. Take, for example, the price difference between the most popular EV \u2014 the Tesla Model 3 \u2014 and the most popular gas car \u2014 the Toyota Camry. Seven years ago, the Tesla Model 3 cost $20,000 more than the Toyota Camry, a premium that put it firmly out of reach for most buyers. By 2025, that difference had narrowed to around $13,000. Overall, improved battery technology, increased manufacturing scale, and growing competition among EV makers have all pushed prices down, with more affordable models entering the market every year.<iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-4Y18i\" style=\"width: 0px; min-width: 100% !important; border: medium none currentcolor;\" title=\"The EV Sedan Is No Longer a Luxury\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/4Y18i\/4\/\" height=\"395\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Line chart\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script>For those buying new, government incentives can make a real difference at the dealership, but only in states that offer them. In California, incentives can take up to $7,500 off a Model Y\u2019s $40,490 sticker price. Washington and Colorado offer similar relief, bringing the same vehicle down to $35,490. In over half the country, that same vehicle lists at $40,490 with no meaningful offset. For a household in Mississippi or West Virginia (where incomes run considerably lower), that gap makes the difference between an EV being a stretch purchase and it being out of reach entirely.<\/p>\n<p>The used market changes the math considerably. A Tesla Model 3 that started at $42K new can be found three years later for around $25K. Battery degradation at that age is typically minimal, as most EVs retain over 90% of their original range through the first five years. For anyone on the fence about the upfront cost, a two- or three-year-old EV makes an increasingly strong case for the best value.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-tKv3l\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" title=\"New vs. Used: Why EVs Get Cheaper Faster\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/tKv3l\/4\/\" height=\"426\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Grouped column chart\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where-going-electric-can-save-you-serious-money\"><\/span>Where going electric can save you serious money<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The financial case for switching to an EV differs from state to state \u2014 and in some places, it is considerably weaker than the national conversation suggests.<\/p>\n<p>Washington sits at one extreme. Residential electricity at 11.90 cents\/kWh and a hydropower-heavy grid mean a full battery charge costs 54% less than a tank of gas. California and Maryland are close behind at 51% and 52% respectively, despite having some of the highest electricity rates in the country.<\/p>\n<p>West Virginia sits at the other end. A full charge costs just 15.4% less than gasoline \u2014 the smallest differential in the dataset. The reason is not that electricity is expensive. At 15.07 cents\/kWh, the rate looks moderate. The problem is the grid. A coal-heavy generation mix keeps electricity from being as cheap to produce as it is in hydro- or wind-dominant states, which compresses the margin that makes EVs financially compelling.<\/p>\n<p>The stakes are highest for the millions of Americans now locked into long <a href=\"https:\/\/share.google\/acs91leYhIV0goFqN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">supercommutes<\/a>: a population that grew by roughly a third after the pandemic pushed workers further from city centers. The national average for regular gasoline has already cleared $4.50 a gallon, but that number paints half the picture: drivers in Oklahoma fill up closer to $4, while Californians are paying over $6.<\/p>\n<p>For a Sacramento-area resident driving 120 miles each way to the Bay Area in a premium-fuel BMW, that can work out to upwards of $1,000 a month in fuel and tolls alone. At that level of exposure, the difference between a gas tank and a charged battery can yield great savings in the monthly budget. That difference is worth several hundred dollars a month even in moderate-cost states, and considerably more in the ones where gasoline prices have already become a source of genuine financial strain.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-bkbwp\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" title=\"Where Going Electric Really Saves You Money\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/bkbwp\/1\/\" height=\"998\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Scatter Plot\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Range-anxiety-is-driving-a-split-fleet-trend-Self-storage-is-filling-the-gap\"><\/span>Range anxiety is driving a split-fleet trend: Self storage is filling the gap<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The self storage industry is watching the EV transition from an unusual vantage point \u2014 not as a bystander, but as an infrastructure player.<\/p>\n<p>Facilities in high-traffic urban locations are already positioned to install Level 2 or DC Fast Chargers, serving as public charging hubs during the day when storage traffic is low and as a base for small delivery businesses running EV fleets without dedicated charging space. <em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>A location with EV charging creates a daily reason for a tenant to visit the site regularly, increasing tenant loyalty and decreasing turnover, while creating additional revenue streams,<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em> says Dr. Joseph Ryan Smolarz, co-founder of <a href=\"http:\/\/storpartners.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">STOR Partners<\/a>, a self storage acquisitions and operations firm. <em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>The operators who move first on this will not only accommodate the EV transition \u2014 they will profit from it substantially.<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>That operator opportunity is only half the story. The demand is already there \u2014 and it\u2019s coming from a direction few anticipated. Early EV adopters aren\u2019t getting rid of their gas cars. <em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>They are keeping them as range-anxiety backups, especially in markets where charging infrastructure is still building out,<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em> Smolarz says.<em> <span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>That second vehicle needs somewhere to live.<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/em>The behavior is most visible in the states leading this ranking: California, Washington and Colorado combine high EV ownership with significant renter populations: exactly the conditions where split-car households and the storage demand they generate are already a reality, rather than a future that\u2019s yet to come.<\/p>\n<p>The demand shift is also changing what customers expect from a facility. <em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>Renters are no longer concerned about how much space is in a unit,<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em> says Logan Peranavan, CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/tapestodigital.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TapestoDigital<\/a>, who works with both storage and automotive clients. <em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>What they want to know is whether you will allow them to charge their vehicle. With many locations that do not have charging stations available, this has resulted in lost customers for operators who do not offer charging.<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>There is a structural dimension, too. EVs are 10\u201330% heavier than internal combustion vehicles due to their battery packs, forcing multi-story facilities to re-evaluate load limits. Climate control is no longer optional: <em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>EVs need more active management because they cannot sit in a cold garage for months with a battery tender,<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em> says Anton Geier of <a href=\"https:\/\/bcs-bus.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">BCS Bus<\/a>. <em><span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201c<\/span><\/span>Storage providers need to consider climate-controlled environments to prevent discharge and capacity degradation.<span class=\"TextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW92810685 BCX8\">\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>For the split-fleet household, storage accessibility and cost vary considerably depending on where you live. Most of the top EV states are well supplied, meaning finding a vehicle storage unit close to home is realistic. The exceptions are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/self-storage\/us\/hi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hawaii<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/self-storage\/us\/ma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Massachusetts<\/a>, where storage space per capita sits at just 4.91 sq. ft. and 3.76 sq. ft., respectively, leaving EV owners with fewer options and less flexibility. That scarcity shows up in the price: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/self-storage\/us\/hi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hawaii<\/a> averages $295 per month for a 10\u2019x20\u2019 unit \u2014 the highest in the dataset. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/self-storage\/us\/ma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">California<\/a>, better supplied, runs $180. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/self-storage\/us\/nc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">North Carolina<\/a> comes in at $109, and the Midwest and South offer the most accessible rates: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/self-storage\/us\/oh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ohio<\/a> at $99, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/self-storage\/us\/in\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indiana<\/a> at $98 and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/self-storage\/us\/tn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tennessee<\/a> at $105. For households managing two vehicles with different charging and range profiles, storage availability matters as much as the monthly rate.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-jL51b\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" title=\"Vehicle storage availability and cost, all 50 states and D.C.\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/jL51b\/2\/\" height=\"942\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Table\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion-The-electric-map-is-being-redrawn\"><\/span>Conclusion: The electric map is being redrawn<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>California\u2019s position holds. But Oklahoma\u2019s explosive growth and Colorado\u2019s renter-friendly infrastructure show that EV adoption has moved well beyond its coastal, policy-driven origins. Manufacturing investment, falling vehicle costs and consumer behavior are now driving the story as much as state mandates are.<\/p>\n<p>The gaps that remain are specific and solvable. Renters in Mississippi, Louisiana and West Virginia face real barriers \u2014 high insurance costs, thin charging networks and grids that limit the financial case. These do not close automatically.<\/p>\n<p>EV registrations have grown in every single state in the dataset over the past five years, including the bottom five. The trajectory is consistent. The question is which states will have the infrastructure in place when mainstream adoption arrives \u2014 and which will be building it after the fact.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"datawrapper-chart-FtUjT\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" title=\"How Every State Ranks: The Full 2026 EV Index\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/FtUjT\/11\/\" height=\"1213\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Table\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(\"iframe\");for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\";r.style.height=d}}});<\/script><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"EVs-in-the-US-FAQ\"><\/span>EVs in the U.S.: FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h4>How many electric vehicles are there in the U.S.?<\/h4>\n<p>Over 6.7 million, more than four times the 2020 total.<\/p>\n<h4>What is the percentage of electric cars in the U.S.?<\/h4>\n<p>About 2.3% of all cars in the U.S. are electric vehicles.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is the most popular electric vehicle model in the U.S.?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 100%; margin: 0 auto;\">\n<p>The Tesla Model 3 is the best-selling E.V. of all time in the U.S., followed by the Tesla Model S and the Nissan Leaf. At a sticker price of $40,490, the Tesla Model 3 still reigned supreme in 2025, pushing 192K units; that\u2019s 16% of total sales in the U.S. It was trailed by the more premium BMW i4 (25K units sold at $<span data-teams=\"true\">53,975<\/span>) and the more affordable Hyundai Ioniq6 (10 to 15K units sold at $38,000).<\/p>\n<h4>What is the efficiency of electric vehicles?<\/h4>\n<p>EVs convert a significantly higher share of energy into motion than gas-powered cars, which lose most of their fuel energy as heat. The exact efficiency advantage varies by model, driving conditions and temperature, with cold weather the biggest performance variable: freezing temperatures can cut real-world range by up to 39%.<\/p>\n<h4>Are electric vehicles cheaper than gas?<\/h4>\n<p>On fuel costs, usually yes \u2014 but it depends on where you live. In Washington state, a full charge costs 54% less than a tank of gas. In West Virginia, that gap shrinks to just 15% because a coal-heavy grid keeps electricity from being competitively priced. The upfront purchase price of an EV remains higher than that of a comparable gas vehicle, though the used EV market is narrowing that gap fast.<\/p>\n<h4>Do all electric vehicles use the same charger?<\/h4>\n<p>No. There are three main levels: Level 1 (standard household outlet, slowest), Level 2 (240-volt, the most common home and public setup) and DC Fast Charging (the quickest, typically found along highways). Connector standards have also varied by manufacturer, though the industry is moving toward broader compatibility.<\/p>\n<h4>Are electric vehicles better for the environment?<\/h4>\n<p>Generally, yes, but the degree depends on how your state generates electricity. In Oregon, where 66% of electricity comes from renewables, an EV runs on a genuinely clean grid. In West Virginia, where coal dominates, the environmental benefit is much smaller. Across the board, public transportation still reduces emissions per capita more effectively than even the cleanest EV.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expert-opinions\"><\/span>Expert opinions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To better understand the outlook of EV adoption in the U.S., we turned to experts in the field.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Loren-McDonald-CEOChief-Analyst-at-Chargeonomics\"><\/span>Loren McDonald, CEO\/Chief Analyst at Chargeonomics<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-21938 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Loren-McDonald-Chargeonomics-1.jpg?w=300\" alt=\"Loren-McDonald\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Loren-McDonald-Chargeonomics-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Loren-McDonald-Chargeonomics-1.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Loren-McDonald-Chargeonomics-1.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Loren-McDonald-Chargeonomics-1.jpg?resize=768,768 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Which states or regions do you see as the next major EV markets, and what is driving growth there?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Based on analysis I\u2019ve done in the past, the key drivers of higher-adoption EV markets tend to be fairly consistent. These markets typically have higher-than-average gas prices, higher-than-average household incomes, better weather, and are more urban and suburban rather than rural. Another major factor is the impact of incentives.<\/p>\n<p>In the last 12 to 18 months, Colorado has been a great example \u2014 it caught up to and in some quarters surpassed California in EV sales share due to a combination of strong state, utility, and local incentives that made buying or leasing an EV both easy and affordable.<\/p>\n<p>Without naming specific markets, I\u2019d suggest that we\u2019ll continue to see above-average growth in areas with a growing high-tech and white-collar workforce. These populations tend to have higher incomes, are more tech-savvy, and are generally more open to adopting new technologies.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>What is the single biggest barrier to mainstream EV adoption in the U.S. right now, and how close are we to solving it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Consumer education is the biggest hurdle. Most of America still doesn\u2019t understand how to \u201crefuel\u201d a vehicle with electricity. Charging an EV is very similar to charging your smartphone\u2014you plug in at home, and several hours later, it\u2019s charged to the level you need.<\/p>\n<p>For consumers, public charging can be very confusing, seem complicated, and it has a language that only an engineer could love. But unless you live in an apartment, condo, or dense urban setting where you don\u2019t have access to charging, most people will charge at home roughly 90% of the time.<\/p>\n<p>Yet most of the focus \u2014 from automakers, the charging industry, and the media \u2014 is on the availability, reliability, and speed of public fast charging. Non-EV drivers have become fixated on how long it takes to charge at a public charging station, even though most people may only use fast charging a handful of times per year.<\/p>\n<p>And when you do charge at a public charging station, there\u2019s also a misunderstanding about the experience itself. Even when using public fast charging, you\u2019re typically not sitting in your car\u2014you\u2019re shopping, eating, or doing other activities. I refer to this as \u201ccharging habit stacking,\u201d where you are undertaking a normal activity like shopping at Costco, and your EV is getting charged at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>We are still several years away from the broader ecosystem doing a great job of educating consumers about the practical realities of EV ownership. That said, we\u2019re starting to see some promising efforts. Ford\u2019s \u201cPower Promise\u201d program, for example, helps by covering the cost of a home charger and installation for new buyers. On the infrastructure side, however, one area that needs significantly more focus and investment is charging in apartment and condo complexes, which represent roughly 40% of U.S. households.<\/p>\n<p>On the infrastructure side, however, one area that needs significantly more focus and investment is charging in apartment and condo complexes, which represent roughly 40% of U.S. households.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>For someone considering buying an EV today, what should they look for in their local infrastructure before making the switch?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>If you live in a single-family home, you\u2019re in control of your charging destiny. Start by looking at incentives \u2014 from automakers, utilities, and state or local programs\u2014that can help cover some or all of the cost of a home charger and installation. And charging at home means you\u2019ll simply replenish the miles you use each day by charging overnight, often at lower utility EV rates.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t control your charging situation \u2014 such as living in an apartment, condo, or dense urban environment\u2014look for charging options at your workplace, school, or places you shop frequently. You can also use tools like Google Maps or apps such as Chargeway and PlugShare to locate Level 2 and fast chargers near your home or along your regular routes.<\/p>\n<p>If you must rely on public charging, again, look for both Level 2 and fast chargers where you can combine charging with your other normal activities. Most cars will sit parked roughly 22 out of 24 hours per day, and all or most of those 22 hours when your car is parked \u2014 it can also be charging.<\/p>\n<p>If you live in an apartment that doesn\u2019t have chargers, talk to the property manager or owner about installing them. There are dozens of charging providers in the U.S. that will install chargers at little to no upfront cost. These installations are increasingly seen as a way to attract and retain tenants, making it a win-win.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gil-Tal-Professor-Department-of-Environmental-Science-and-Policy-University-of-California-Davis\"><\/span>Gil Tal, Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-21709 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Gil-Tal-ITS-UC-Davis.jpg?w=269\" alt=\"Gil Tal, UC Davis\" width=\"269\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Gil-Tal-ITS-UC-Davis.jpg 520w, https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Gil-Tal-ITS-UC-Davis.jpg?resize=269,300 269w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 269px) 100vw, 269px\" \/><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Which states or regions do you see as the next major EV markets, and what is driving growth there?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The next wave of EV growth will come from states where three conditions align: policy support, high gasoline prices, and low residential electricity prices. This is mostly, but not exclusively, blue states. Where all three factors converge, the total cost of ownership advantage becomes large enough to pull in buyers beyond the early adopter segment. Policy alone is very important but not sufficient, and neither is fuel economics alone; markets accelerate when both reinforce each other.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>What is the biggest barrier to mainstream EV adoption right now?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Vehicle supply across segments, body types, and price points. This is much less of a constraint in Europe, China, Canada, Mexico, and much of the rest of the world, but the U.S. case is distinct. Federal policy hostility toward EVs has suppressed domestic production, and high tariffs have foreclosed the import channel that other markets rely on. The result is a near-total absence of affordable EVs in the U.S. market. Demand is not the binding constraint; product availability is.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>What should consumers look for in their local infrastructure before buying an EV?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Reliable home charging is the single most important factor. A 208\/240-volt outlet (a dryer plug) in the garage or next to where the car is parked is the ideal setup for charging directly or installing a charger. Slower Level 1 charging at home, combined with a reliable workplace charger, is also workable. For most buyers, installing a home charger is straightforward, but it should be confirmed before purchase rather than after. Public fast chargers matter for road trips, but with 300-mile range vehicles now common, fast charging is rarely a daily concern and should not drive the buying decision. Apartment dwellers and rural drivers with atypical patterns need to match their specific driving and charging situation to the vehicle choice. For many of these buyers, a plug-in hybrid will deliver most of the fuel savings without range constraints, though here too supply is the limiting factor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Doug-Ressler-Business-Intelligence-Manager-at-Yardi-Matrix\"><\/span>Doug Ressler, Business Intelligence Manager at Yardi Matrix<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-21928 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Doug-Ressler_3.png?w=245\" alt=\"Doug Ressler\" width=\"245\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Doug-Ressler_3.png 432w, https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Doug-Ressler_3.png?resize=245,300 245w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 245px) 100vw, 245px\" \/><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>What factors drive EV adoption across states?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>There are six key factors, each measuring something distinct: charging infrastructure looks at ports per EV and DC fast penetration; cost advantage compares electricity vs. gasoline economics on a per-mile basis; policy support covers state incentives, rebates, and regulatory frameworks; adoption momentum tracks EV growth rate rather than just existing stock levels; housing compatibility measures the share of multifamily units with charging access; and grid quality reflects the renewable vs. fossil fuel energy mix and overall stability. Of these, charging infrastructure carries the most weight, as it\u2019s the most immediate, practical determinant of whether EV ownership actually works for people on a day-to-day basis.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Where\u2019s the biggest bottleneck?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Multifamily charging is the clearest gap in the system right now. Even in the leading states, fewer than 16% of apartment buildings offer any EV charging at all, and in most states, the number is close to zero. Unlike homeowners, renters have no ability to install their own chargers, so they\u2019re entirely dependent on what the building provides. If it isn\u2019t there, the option simply isn\u2019t available to them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>What does the multifamily charging gap mean for the real estate market?<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Properties that moved early on charging infrastructure are already seeing it show up in rent premiums and leasing demand. It\u2019s playing out in a way that&#8217;s reminiscent of how broadband adoption unfolded in multifamily housing, what started as a differentiator gradually became a baseline expectation. The markets where this dynamic is most visible today tend to be the ones where EV ownership is growing quickly but the infrastructure hasn\u2019t kept pace with that growth.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Methodology\"><\/span>Methodology<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This analysis was conducted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">StorageCafe<\/a>, an online platform that provides nationwide listings of storage units.<\/p>\n<p>To produce this ranking, StorageCafe <span data-contrast=\"auto\">built a composite index scoring all 50 states and the District\u00a0of Columbia across\u00a0roughly\u00a022\u00a0individual\u00a0metrics, organized into\u00a0eight\u00a0weighted\u00a0categories. Each metric was ranked across the 51 jurisdictions, and those ranks were combined according to the weights below to produce a single Index score, with states sorted from most to least EV-friendly.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The seven categories and their weights:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">EV Adoption \u2014\u00a045%.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0The single largest driver of the index, capturing EV registrations per\u00a010,000 residents, EVs per 10,000 households, and five-year adoption growth. This rewards states where electric vehicles already have real traction.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Multi-Car Ownership Capacity \u2014\u00a015%.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0The share of households owning two, three, or four-plus vehicles, used as a proxy for the garage space and at-home charging potential that make EV ownership practical.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">EV Infrastructure \u2014 18%.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0County-level charging coverage, public charging stations per 10,000 households (drawn from two independent sources for reliability), and the share of multifamily units offering EV charging.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"4\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cost &amp; Affordability \u2014\u00a010%.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0The cost of a full battery vs. full tank\u00a0for a sedan with a roughly similar driving range\u00a0in\u00a0each case, expressed in\u00a0percentage and dollar terms,\u00a0plus\u00a0average residential electricity prices and the insurance gap between EVs and conventional vehicles.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"5\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Policy &amp; Incentives \u2014 6%.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0State zero-emission-vehicle\u00a0policies and the availability of consumer purchase incentives.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"6\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Environmental Context \u2014\u00a03%.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0The renewable share of electricity generation, clean-fuel use in public transit, and the percentage of days with good air quality.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"7\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Lifestyle &amp; Climate Fit \u2014\u00a02%.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Storage square footage per capita, parking rental rates, and the share of months with temperatures favorable to battery performance.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;multilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"8\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Interest &amp; Awareness \u2014\u00a01%.<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> EV-related Google search activity per 10,000 residents, as per last year\u2019s average monthly searches, a read on consumer curiosity.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Supplementary figures such as median household income, the best-selling Model Y price by state, and EV affordability\u00a0relative\u00a0to income are provided for context and do not factor into the rankings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">For each state\u2019s EV adoption rate, we drew on U.S. Department of Energy data covering 2020 through 2024. <strong>That data has recently been modified, and we\u2019ve updated our figures accordingly.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Data on EV registrations and charging station counts comes from the Alternative Fuels Data Center (US Department of Energy). For each state&#8217;s EV adoption rate specifically, the DOE figures cover 2020 through 2024; that data has since been revised, and we<span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2019<\/span>ve updated our figures accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>Multifamily EV charging availability comes from <a id=\"menurvmt\" class=\"fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn\" title=\"https:\/\/www.yardimatrix.com\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yardimatrix.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Link Yardi Matrix\">Yardi Matrix<\/a>, StorageCafe<span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2019<\/span>s sister division and a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self storage sectors. Electricity price data comes from the US Energy Information Administration. Renewable energy and public transit clean fuel figures draw on US Department of Energy and Federal Transit Administration data. Self storage rates reflect Yardi Matrix street rate data.<\/p>\n<p>The District of Columbia is included in the dataset, but noted as a non-state jurisdiction with structural characteristics \u2014 including very low car ownership rates by design \u2014 that affect its position in the ranking.<\/p>\n<p>This study serves as a resource for the general public on issues of common interest and should not be regarded as investment advice. The data is true to the best of our knowledge, but may change if amendments to it are made. We agree to the distribution of this content, but we do require a mention in return for attribution purposes.<\/p>\n<p><em>See previous reports on this topic:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/the-best-places-in-the-us-for-electric-vehicles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Race For Electric Vehicle Adoption: The West Takes The Wheel With Seattle, San Francisco &amp; San Jose Leading The Pack<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/best-us-metros-for-electric-cars\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Future Is Electric: The San Jose, SF, And LA Metros Are Tops For Electric Cars With PHX And Portland Speeding Up To Enter The EV Race<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last updated: June 22, 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3586,"featured_media":21658,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-and-economy-reports","category-research-reports"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Best States for EVs (2026): West Leads Adoption, Oklahoma Leaps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Which states are leading the EV revolution? See the full rankings, with California leading the U.S. and Oklahoma growing the fastest.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Best States for Electric Vehicles (2026): The West Leads EV Adoption, Oklahoma Speeds Up\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Which states are leading the EV revolution? See the full rankings, with California leading the U.S. and Oklahoma growing the fastest.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"StorageCafe Blog - Your Go-to Source for All Things Self Storage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-22T13:41:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-24T13:07:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Andrei Popa\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Andrei Popa\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"29 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Andrei Popa\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/52571ea719e379a6b753d791aa84d1fa\"},\"headline\":\"Best States for Electric Vehicles (2026): The West Leads EV Adoption, Oklahoma Speeds Up\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-22T13:41:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-24T13:07:08+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":7333,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/44\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business &amp; Economy\",\"Research Reports\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/\",\"name\":\"Best States for EVs (2026): West Leads Adoption, Oklahoma Leaps\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/44\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-22T13:41:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-24T13:07:08+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/52571ea719e379a6b753d791aa84d1fa\"},\"description\":\"Which states are leading the EV revolution? See the full rankings, with California leading the U.S. and Oklahoma growing the fastest.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/44\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/44\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg\",\"width\":1280,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Research Reports\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/research-reports\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Best States for Electric Vehicles (2026): The West Leads EV Adoption, Oklahoma Speeds Up\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"StorageCafe Blog - Your Go-to Source for All Things Self Storage\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/52571ea719e379a6b753d791aa84d1fa\",\"name\":\"Andrei Popa\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/44\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/KMT_4816_265951.jpg?w=94\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/44\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/KMT_4816_265951.jpg?w=94\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/44\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/KMT_4816_265951.jpg?w=94\",\"caption\":\"Andrei Popa\"},\"description\":\"Andrei Popa is a writer and editor for StorageCafe. After writing real estate copy for two years, he made the jump to editorial writing and data-driven storytelling with a focus on the self storage industry.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.storagecafe.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/ap30314\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Best States for EVs (2026): West Leads Adoption, Oklahoma Leaps","description":"Which states are leading the EV revolution? See the full rankings, with California leading the U.S. and Oklahoma growing the fastest.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Best States for Electric Vehicles (2026): The West Leads EV Adoption, Oklahoma Speeds Up","og_description":"Which states are leading the EV revolution? See the full rankings, with California leading the U.S. and Oklahoma growing the fastest.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/","og_site_name":"StorageCafe Blog - Your Go-to Source for All Things Self Storage","article_published_time":"2026-06-22T13:41:38+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-24T13:07:08+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1280,"height":500,"url":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Andrei Popa","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Andrei Popa","Est. reading time":"29 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/"},"author":{"name":"Andrei Popa","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/52571ea719e379a6b753d791aa84d1fa"},"headline":"Best States for Electric Vehicles (2026): The West Leads EV Adoption, Oklahoma Speeds Up","datePublished":"2026-06-22T13:41:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-24T13:07:08+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/"},"wordCount":7333,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg","articleSection":["Business &amp; Economy","Research Reports"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/","url":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/","name":"Best States for EVs (2026): West Leads Adoption, Oklahoma Leaps","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-22T13:41:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-24T13:07:08+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/52571ea719e379a6b753d791aa84d1fa"},"description":"Which states are leading the EV revolution? See the full rankings, with California leading the U.S. and Oklahoma growing the fastest.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg","width":1280,"height":500,"caption":"Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/states-leading-ev-adoption-2026\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research Reports","item":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/category\/research-reports\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Best States for Electric Vehicles (2026): The West Leads EV Adoption, Oklahoma Speeds Up"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/","name":"StorageCafe Blog - Your Go-to Source for All Things Self Storage","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/52571ea719e379a6b753d791aa84d1fa","name":"Andrei Popa","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/04\/KMT_4816_265951.jpg?w=94","url":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/04\/KMT_4816_265951.jpg?w=94","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/04\/KMT_4816_265951.jpg?w=94","caption":"Andrei Popa"},"description":"Andrei Popa is a writer and editor for StorageCafe. After writing real estate copy for two years, he made the jump to editorial writing and data-driven storytelling with a focus on the self storage industry.","url":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/author\/ap30314\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2026\/05\/Electric-vehicle-charging-station-in-indoor-mall.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3586"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21613"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21613\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22339,"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21613\/revisions\/22339"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}