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Number of EV Charging Stations by State: 2024 Overview

Number of EV Charging Stations by State: 2024 Overview

As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to reshape the future of transportation, the expansion of EV charging infrastructure is crucial to their widespread adoption. By the end of 2024, the US is expected to have 64,187 EV charging stations, a 43.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2018 to 2023. However, most of that growth is limited to a few states, with five states—California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Washington—accounting for 46.4% of all EV charging stations.

These charging stations are the backbone of the EV revolution, allowing EV drivers to charge their cars and the country to move away from fossil fuels. But the distribution of charging stations varies wildly from state to state, driven by state policies, consumer demand, geography, and politics.

Key Findings

  • Projected EV Charging Stations by 2024: The U.S. is expected to have 64,187 EV charging stations by the end of the year.

  • Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR): There has been a 43.7% CAGR in charging stations from 2018 to 2023, indicating rapid growth in infrastructure.

  • Top 5 States for Charging Stations: California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Washington account for 46.4% of all EV charging stations nationwide.

  • California: Leads with 14,040 public charging stations, making up 25.5% of the total number of charging stations in the U.S.

  • Wyoming: Has the best EV-to-charger ratio at 4.2 EVs per charging port, demonstrating effective infrastructure relative to the number of electric vehicles.

  • New Jersey: Exhibits the highest (worst) EV-to-charger ratio at 41.3 EVs per charging port, indicating significant infrastructure shortages despite being sixth in cumulative EVs.

EV Sales Outpace Charging Infrastructure Growth

From 2016 to 2022, EV sales in the US have grown much faster than charging infrastructure. EV sales nearly quintupled to almost 1 million by 2022, while new EV charging ports grew at a slower rate. This gap means the growth of charging stations is not keeping up with the demand from EV owners and could be a problem for drivers looking for convenient charging options.

Data from the International Energy Agency, Department of Energy

The gap between the number of EVs on the road and available charging ports means we need to accelerate investment in charging infrastructure to support the growth of the electric vehicle market. Without fixing this infrastructure gap, the convenience and appeal of EV adoption will be hindered and the transition to a more sustainable transportation system will slow.

EV Charging Station Statistics by State

The EV charging landscape in the US is mostly dominated by California, which has 25.5% of all charging stations. California is the leader in EV charger adoption with 14,040 public charging stations across the state. This network of charging stations means EV drivers have convenient access to charging and California is the leader in both adoption and infrastructure.

Other key states with significant EV infrastructure include New York (6.1%), Florida (5.4%) and Texas (4.8%). These states are investing in electric vehicle infrastructure as sales are increasing and state policies are promoting cleaner transportation.

On the other end of the spectrum are states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky which have the fewest charging stations per resident. In Mississippi, there are 17,925 residents per EV station, which is a big challenge for infrastructure development in states that have less emphasis on EV adoption.

Here is the Department of Energy’s ranking of the 50 states including District of Columbia by number of EV charging stations:

Factors Influencing EV Charging Station Distribution

As seen above, states with policies and incentives for EV adoption and strong market demand have more charging stations. Those with geographic and demographic challenges like vast rural areas and lower EV populations have alarmingly low charger-to-EV ratios. These factors determine how many charging outlets and public EV chargers are in each region.

State Policies and Incentives

State policies are a big driver of EV infrastructure. States like California and Oregon, which have aggressive clean energy policies and offer tax incentives for EV purchases, have been able to build out a robust charging network. For example, California’s Clean Transportation Program provides grants for building EV charging stations in underserved areas. Oregon has expanded its EV charging infrastructure through targeted investments and rebates for residents.

States with fewer incentives or policies focused on fossil fuels like the Great Plains are behind in both EV adoption and infrastructure. North Dakota and South Dakota are good examples, with fewer electric vehicle charging stations and ports than other states.

Consumer Demand

The number of EV charging stations in each state is directly tied to consumer demand for electric vehicle. As more people buy electric vehicles, the need for charging stations grows. States like Texas and Florida have seen a big increase in EV sales and that’s driven the growth in public EV charging stations.

Interestingly, some states with fewer EVs have better EV-to-charging-port ratios. For example, Wyoming has the best ratio in the country at 4.2 EVs per charging port despite having fewer total electric cars. This means infrastructure is being built ahead of demand and they are positioning themselves for future growth in EV sales.

Geography and Climate

Geography is a big factor in EV charging station distribution. States with large rural areas like Montana and Alaska have challenges building dense charging networks. In these states, the long distances between cities make it hard to build a reliable public charger network.

The climate also affects infrastructure development. Cold states like Minnesota and North Dakota have fewer chargers because of the harsh winters, which can reduce EV battery efficiency by as much as 40%. But states like Vermont and Colorado, which also experience cold weather, have invested heavily in EV infrastructure and have overcome the geographic challenges.

EV Charging Station Growth and Trends

The rapid growth of electric vehicles across the US has led to a big growth in the number of EV charging stations. California has the most with 930,811 charging ports followed by Florida, New York, and Washington. These states are seeing rapid growth in both EV sales and charging infrastructure driven by strong consumer demand and state policies.

Image courtesy of Ford

Tesla Supercharger stations have also contributed to the growth of EV infrastructure. With over 12,000 Superchargers in the US alone, Tesla is the leader in DC fast charging. The decision by major automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Honda to adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector means non-Tesla EVs will have access to Tesla’s high-speed charging network in addition to the existing CCS DC fast chargers, further expanding the country’s EV infrastructure.

Federal Support for EV Charging Infrastructure

The Biden administration has been a big driver for the growth of electric vehicle infrastructure in the US. In 2024, the US Department of Transportation announced $623 million in grants as part of its effort to build out a national EV charging network. These grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program will support 47 EV charging and alternative-fueling infrastructure projects in 22 states and Puerto Rico, deploying approximately 7,500 new EV charging ports​. This is on top of the $150 million already allocated to upgrading 4,500 existing electric vehicle charging ports,​.

The $623 million in grants are divided into two categories: “community” projects and “corridor” projects.

  • Community Projects: The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has allocated $311 million to 36 community projects including funding for two Indian Tribes in Alaska and Arizona. These projects are building EV charging stations in urban and rural communities especially in disadvantaged areas, so all Americans can access clean transportation. Examples of these investments are chargers near schools, parks, libraries, and multi-family housing​.

  • Corridor Projects: The remaining $312 million is for 11 projects along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. These projects will fill gaps in the national EV charging network by building infrastructure along busy highways.

FAQs

  • How many EV charging stations are there in the US?

    As of 2024, there are 64,187 EV charging stations in the US, as the EV infrastructure grows to support the increasing number of electric vehicles on the road.

  • Do all states have EV charging stations?

    Yes, all states have EV charging stations, but the distribution is very uneven. States like California have thousands of stations and states like Mississippi have very few options.

  • How many EV charging stations are there in the US by 2030?

    By 2030, the US will have 500,000 public EV chargers, a goal set by the Biden administration to drive EV adoption.

  • Are there free EV charging stations in the US?

    Yes, some public EV charging stations are free to charge from, mostly at places like grocery stores and shopping centers. But many chargers, especially DC fast chargers, are paid.

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