Number of EV Charging Stations by State: 2024 Overview

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.

• 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.