Electric Vehicle Adoption in Nevada: Are We Encouraged?

Keywords: Electric Vehicle, Utility, Adoption
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

There has been tremendous growth on a global scale in electric vehicle (EV) adoption recently. Using
data obtained from the alternative fuel data center, the United States has also experienced year-on-year
growth in Electric Vehicles. Most have been attributable to California, while other states lag behind. As Electric Vehicle adoption continues to grow and garner more public interest, there is an increasing need to ensure that public infrastructure is located to support adoption, particularly outside of California. Research has consistently found that most Electric Vehicle owners live in owner-occupied housing units, and have comparatively higher education levels and incomes, though that will necessarily change as more segments of the population adopt Electric Vehicle. In recent years, more public Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure has been built in neighboring Nevada, largely to support early adopter travel there, including long distance trips between the state’s population centers. Now totaling 445, these public stations support early EV adopters, but several of them could potentially support EV adoption for those living nearby that have yet to adopt. Through GIS analysis, this research characterizes the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the population living near Nevada’s public charging stations, comparing results to common findings in the EV adoption literature. This study also highlights segments of the population near existing charging that could feasibly adopt but are not traditional early adopters. These results offer insights into how to support both continued adoption for those with EVs and opportunities for new segments of the population to adopt one.