A recent study by EPIcenter faculty affiliates Joe F. Bozeman III (School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology) and Daniel C. Matisoff (Carter School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology), along with John D. Kim (Carter School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology) and co-authors Sanya Carley, David M. Konisky, Jeremy J. Michalek, and Destenie Nock, examines U.S. household electric vehicle (EV) ownership and adoption intent beyond upfront costs, focusing on charging access, travel behavior, housing, and demographics. The study utilizes a nationally representative survey of 2,870 households to examine how these factors shape both current EV ownership rates and consumers’ intentions to purchase or lease an EV in the future.
The study finds that EV ownership remains relatively low among households with “median” characteristics — approximately 1% of household vehicles are electric — but increases substantially when households report access to community charging infrastructure. In contrast, single‑vehicle households and households located in states without Tesla dealerships exhibit significantly lower EV ownership rates. When examining adoption intent, the authors find that access to community and workplace charging, trust in the federal government, more liberal political ideology, younger age, and urban residence are consistently associated with higher stated interest in EV adoption. Notably, single‑vehicle households express significantly greater intent to adopt one in the future, despite being less likely to own an EV today. The analysis also reveals that public transit users show elevated EV adoption intent at earlier stages of consideration, suggesting potential complementarities between transit use and personal vehicle electrification.
The authors find no statistically significant differences across income groups in how charging access, commuting modes, or vehicle ownership patterns relate to EV purchase intent, despite persistent disparities in access to enabling infrastructure. These results highlight the role of charging availability and institutional trust in shaping EV adoption decisions, regardless of income. The findings have important implications for transportation and energy policy, suggesting that expanding community and workplace charging infrastructure, particularly in rental‑dense, urban, and underserved areas, may encourage broader EV adoption than financial incentives alone. By identifying the household and contextual factors most strongly linked to EV ownership and interest, this research provides actionable insights for policymakers designing equitable and effective EV transition strategies.
To learn more you can read the paper (Beyond the cost: Electric vehicle ownership and adoption intent in U.S. households – ScienceDirect) or contact us (epicenter@gatech.edu).
Key Takeaways: Drivers of EV Ownership and Intent
1. Charging Access Trumps Cost: Access to community and workplace charging is a more powerful driver than purchase price. Households with community charging access exhibit four times the EV ownership share of those without.
2. The Intent-Ownership Gap: Interest does not always equal adoption. Single-vehicle households express high intent to buy EVs but low ownership rates, suggesting that structural barriers like range anxiety and a lack of backup vehicles remain major inhibitors.
3. Universal Infrastructure Barriers: Factors influencing EV interest—such as parking and charging availability—are statistically consistent across all income groups. This implies that infrastructure investments provide widespread benefits rather than only aiding high-income consumers.
4. Transit as a Gateway: Public transportation users show higher intent to adopt EVs at earlier stages, suggesting that EVs may complement transit use or serve as a future substitute in urban planning.
5. Political and Social Embeddedness: Beyond economics, institutional trust and political ideology are significant predictors of adoption intent. Successful implementation depends heavily on policy credibility and social messaging.
6. Physical Market Access: State-level restrictions on dealerships (e.g., Tesla) significantly lower ownership rates. Physical retail presence and direct-to-consumer sales laws remain critical determinants of market diffusion.
7. Infrastructure Over Incentives: Evidence suggests that charging infrastructure has a much stronger relationship with ownership than financial subsidies. Policymakers may see higher returns by prioritizing zoning reform and workplace charging over expanding tax credits.
This summary was written with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot on January 15, 2026. Its content was edited and verified by EPIcenter staff and affiliates. Published February 10, 2026.