Which States Have the Most Public EV Chargers?
With electric vehicles growing in popularity, the infrastructure to support them is expanding to keep up. The Department of Energy reports that by 2030, the U.S. will need 28 million charging stations to support an estimated 33 million EVs.
Related: Which New Electric Vehicles Come With Free Charging?
The Biden Administration has rolled out several initiatives to support the growing number of EVs on the road. Additionally, some automakers have come together to create a nationwide charging network, and several EV manufacturers have begun to switch to the North American Charging Standard after Tesla recently opened its Supercharger network to non-Tesla EVs. According to the Energy Department, Tesla’s network contains nearly two-thirds of the fast chargers in the country.
If you’re planning to buy an EV, then, determining whether your state or city is EV-friendly is just as important as choosing the model.
Where Are the Most and Least EV Chargers?
According to the Energy Department, these are the 10 states with the most public EV charging stations as of publication:
- California: 16,075
- New York: 4,006
- Florida: 3,429
- Texas: 3,214
- Massachusetts: 3,026
- Washington: 2,189
- Colorado: 2,145
- Georgia: 1,904
- Pennsylvania: 1,740
- Maryland: 1,672
Similarly, the 10 states with the least amount of EV charging stations are as follows:
- Alaska: 65
- North Dakota: 95
- South Dakota: 99
- Wyoming: 105
- Montana: 129
- West Virginia: 144
- Mississippi: 145
- Idaho: 187
- Delaware: 208
- New Hampshire: 252
Charging Levels
Public charging stations can offer either Level 1, Level 2 or DC fast charging. Level 2 charging ports are the most common, with 131,731 available nationwide. DC fast charging follows with 42,065 public charging ports, and Level 1 charging brings up the rear with 814.
Level 1 charging is known as trickle charging and is done from a regular 120-volt household outlet. Level 2 charging uses 240 volts, the same voltage used to run an air conditioner or clothes dryer. Level 1 and 2 chargers are best for situations where a vehicle would be parked for extended periods of time, like an office, hotel or even at home. DC fast chargers, on the other hand, are the quickest, as they can sometimes charge an EV at a rate of nearly 10 miles a minute. However, DC fast chargers are not offered at every public charging station, though they can be found at some travel stops along interstates and grocery stores.
As far as the states with the most public DC fast chargers, California tops the list again at 11,293. Following up are Texas with 2,641, Florida at 2,454 and New York with 1,433 chargers.
How to Find EV Chargers
There is a plethora of resources to find which of these stations are closest to you or are along your route. The Energy Department’s Alternative Fuels Data Center has an EV route planner, which lets drivers discover what charging stations are available near their home, destination and in between. Additionally, many EVs also offer built-in navigation systems that can help you chart your route from charging station to charging station while on the road.
Other EV route-planning applications, such as ChargeHub, PlugShare and A Better Routeplanner, allow drivers to map out their trip between charging stations, as well. These services can help you gauge travel and charging time by allowing you to specify what level of chargers you want to use at a station and even what car you plan to drive. These apps can be accessed through their respective website or downloaded onto a smartphone via the Apple App Store or Google Play store.
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- How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?
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