The Consumer Choice Center on June 22 released the US Electric Vehicle Accessibility Index, which evaluates how consumer friendly each state is for purchasing an electric vehicle.

President Biden’s administration has prioritized preparing the country for the electric vehicle revolution by earmarking $174 billion for transportation electrification. However, this notable investment may fall short due to harsh state regulations banning direct-to-consumer sales and disproportionate licensing fees for electric vehicles.  

The Electric Vehicle Accessibility Index is calculated by scoring each state's regulatory structure for direct sales to consumers, and EV licensing fees.

State by State ResultsStates with a score (15) of accessible are: Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

States with a score (10) of partially accessible are: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming.

States with a score (5) of limited accessibility are: Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and Washington.

States with a score (0) of inaccessible are: Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

CommentsDavid Clement, North American Affairs Manager for the DC based Consumer Choice Center and co-author of the index, said, "State governments need to get out of the way if they are going to join the EV revolution. States that ban direct-to-consumer vehicle sales are actively discriminating against EV manufacturers, which does nothing but make these vehicles more expensive, and less accessible. In today's modern age of limitless information, there is no serious justification for a ban on direct sales, other than protecting the existing industry from disruption and competition."

US Affairs Analyst, and index co-author, Elizabeth Hicks, commented, “On top of that, forcing consumers to pay higher licensing and registration fees for EVs only discourages them from making the greener choice. Higher licensing fees for electric vehicles are in place in 28 states and were put into place as a result of less revenue being generated from gas taxes. Rather than actively discouraging consumers from purchasing EVs with inflated fees, states should remain neutral and simply treat EVs like they would any other standard passenger vehicle.”

Clement added, “It is clear consumers want more access to electric vehicles. Therefore legislation should make the purchase and ownership of them as convenient as possible, and we urge legislators to put forth better policies that will reduce the significant barriers preventing consumers from fully  accessing EVs.”

The full report, including methodology, can be viewed here.