Electric vehicles are projected to grow from 6 percent to 30 percent of new vehicle sales in the next 6 years. A 500-percent spike in EV sales will require a similar rise in electric vehicle infrastructure if all these new EV owners want access to quick and convenient public charging.

While there are already 150,000 EV charging stations in the U.S., most of them are Level 2 chargers that only add about 10-20 miles an hour to an electric vehicle’s range. Level 3 fast chargers can add 3-20 miles or range a minute, completely replenishing most electric vehicles in 30-60 minutes. However, with only 28,000 Level 3 fast chargers in the public infrastructure, access to fast charging is limited. 

Of those 28,000 fast chargers, over 17,000 are part of the Tesla Supercharger Network, leaving only 11,000 Level 3 chargers available for non-Tesla drivers. You can see which cities are the most and least EV friendly in our recent EV charger study, but suffice it to say the country needs rapid growth in electric vehicle charging support, particularly fast charging options, to keep pace with rising EV sales. 

Which Cities and States Have Grown the Fastest in EV Infrastructure?

EV owners and potential buyers should consider not only which cities and states have the best current EV infrastructure, but which areas are seeing the fastest growth. Many of these cities and states don’t have big EV charger numbers today, but they have worked the hardest in recent years to prepare for the coming wave of electric vehicles.

Listed below are the cities and states with the fastest growth in the number of EV chargers over the past 5 years. These tables show total EV charger growth as well as the growth of Level 3 chargers.

Tables showing growth for all EV charging networks and growth for Tesla’s Supercharger Network are also included. 

Top Cities and States for Total EV Charger Growth

Much of the recent growth in EV infrastructure has occurred in California, but the fastest growth over the past 5 years has been in Oklahoma City. At the state level, North Dakota has improved the most over the past 5 years, with Massachusetts and Oklahoma coming in second and third.
Top 10 Metro Areas with the Most Growth in Total Chargers (incl. Tesla Network), 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Metro % Improvement Residents per Charger, 2017 Residents per Charger, 2022
1 Oklahoma City, OK 89.1% 29,100 3,164
2 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA 88.2% 3,941 465
3 Fresno-Visalia, CA 88.1% 8,632 1,024
4 Austin, TX 87.7% 10,672 1,310
5 San Diego, CA 87.6% 6,636 824
6 Boston, MA-Manchester, NH 87.4% 8,807 1,111
7 Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo, MI 87.3% 23,307 2,965
8 Cincinnati, OH 87.1% 26,899 3,465
9 Harrisburg-Lancaster-York, PA 86.1% 24,082 3,351
10 San Antonio, TX 85.6% 37,468 5,386
National Average 79.6% 11,177 2,280
Top 10 States with the Most Growth in Total Chargers (incl. Tesla Network), 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank State % Improvement Residents per Charger, 2017 Residents per Charger, 2022
1 North Dakota 94.5% 83,882 4,611
2 Massachusetts 90.1% 11,827 1,167
3 Oklahoma 87.6% 30,010 3,729
4 Rhode Island 87.1% 11,351 1,462
5 New Jersey 87.1% 25,030 3,228
6 New York 86.8% 14,773 1,950
7 Alaska 86.0% 46,231 6,492
8 Utah 84.4% 11,528 1,802
9 Michigan 83.9% 22,980 3,704
10 California 83.4% 5,315 881
National Average 79.6% 11,177 2,280

Top Cities and States for Level 3 Fast Charger Growth

While a Level 2 charger is better than nothing for an EV about to run out of energy, effective midday charging requires a Level 3 fast charger. West Palm Beach has grown the fastest in Level 3 charging over the past 5 years, with San Antonio and Cincinnati also showing substantial improvement. Oklahoma, Massachusetts, and Florida are the leading states for Level 3 improvements in charging support.
Top 10 Metro Areas with the Most Growth in Fast Chargers (incl. Tesla Network), 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Metro % Improvement Residents per Fast Charger, 2017 Residents per Fast Charger, 2022
1 West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL 99.0% 937,950 9,769
2 San Antonio, TX 98.8% 2,360,500 29,060
3 Cincinnati, OH 96.0% 672,467 26,790
4 San Diego, CA 95.4% 105,681 4,841
5 Oklahoma City, OK 94.2% 95,859 5,571
6 Tampa-St Petersburg (Sarasota), FL 92.4% 212,905 16,094
7 Fresno-Visalia, CA 92.3% 31,873 2,444
8 Baltimore, MD 92.2% 102,924 7,995
9 Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL 92.2% 121,826 9,487
10 Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL 92.1% 142,377 11,306
National Average 86.1% 83,351 11,602
Top 10 States with the Most Growth in Fast Chargers (incl. Tesla Network), 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank State % Improvement Residents per Fast Charger, 2017 Residents per Fast Charger, 2022
1 Oklahoma 93.8% 103,456 6,452
2 Florida 93.0% 190,578 13,257
3 Massachusetts 90.7% 127,033 11,754
4 California 90.3% 45,766 4,449
5 New Jersey 90.0% 116,915 11,679
6 Michigan 89.7% 181,329 18,651
7 Georgia 88.6% 115,670 13,244
8 Maryland 88.4% 74,369 8,646
9 Illinois 88.3% 148,591 17,427
10 New York 87.7% 135,100 16,647
National Average 86.1% 83,351 11,602

Top Cities and States for total EV Charger Growth, Excluding Tesla

Tesla has built an impressive Supercharger Network, but if you don’t own a Tesla you can’t use it, at least not today. Tesla has committed to opening up some of its charging stations by 2024. In the meantime, non-Tesla owners in Austin, San Antonio, and Albuquerque/Santa Fe have benefitted from the most aggressive growth in EV charging support over the past 5 years. New York, New Mexico, and North Dakota are the states with the most non-Tesla EV charging stations since 2017.
Top 10 Metro Areas with the Most Growth in Total Chargers (excl. Tesla Network), 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Metro % Improvement Residents per Charger, 2017 Residents per Charger, 2022
1 Austin, TX 94.0% 28,670 1,714
2 San Antonio, TX 92.2% 98,354 7,690
3 Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM 92.0% 50,719 4,057
4 Oklahoma City, OK 91.9% 42,884 3,482
5 Harrisburg-Lancaster-York, PA 91.3% 45,629 3,983
6 New York, NY 90.6% 40,648 3,821
7 Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo, MI 90.4% 36,417 3,486
8 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA 90.4% 5,674 545
9 Salt Lake City, UT 90.4% 18,881 1,818
10 Boston, MA-Manchester, NH 90.1% 12,443 1,234
National Average 83.8% 17,673 2,868
Top 10 States with the Most Growth in Total Chargers (excl. Tesla Network), 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank State % Improvement Residents per Charger, 2017 Residents per Charger, 2022
1 New York 95.6% 55,811 2,478
2 New Mexico 93.0% 77,473 5,461
3 North Dakota 92.4% 83,882 6,335
4 Massachusetts 91.6% 15,177 1,279
5 Oklahoma 90.8% 44,172 4,073
6 Utah 90.4% 22,471 2,148
7 Texas 89.2% 60,331 6,514
8 New Jersey 89.1% 38,972 4,254
9 Nevada 88.8% 25,825 2,905
10 Rhode Island 88.3% 13,534 1,581
National Average 83.8% 17,673 2,868

Top Cities and States for Level 3 Fast Charger Growth, Excluding Tesla

Only 11,000 Level 3 fast chargers are available outside the Tesla network, but Albuquerque/Santa Fe, Oklahoma City, and West Palm Beach added the most number of non-Tesla fast chargers in recent years. With those cities growing so quickly it follows that New Mexico and Oklahoma would be the leading states in non-Tesla Level 3 growth, with Iowa coming in at position 3 at the state level.
Top 10 Metro Areas with the Most Growth in Fast Chargers (excl. Tesla Network), 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Metro % Improvement Residents per Fast Charger, 2017 Residents per Fast Charger, 2022
1 Albuquerque-Santa Fe, NM 98.5% 1,623,000 23,939
2 Oklahoma City, OK 98.2% 325,920 5,962
3 West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL 97.4% 937,950 24,242
4 Birmingham, AL 97.2% 1,626,100 45,530
5 Detroit, MI 97.1% 1,391,100 40,150
6 Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH 96.3% 1,641,650 61,344
7 Kansas City, MO 96.1% 2,142,100 82,752
8 Milwaukee, WI 95.6% 1,980,800 87,491
9 Denver, CO 95.5% 243,294 10,919
10 Fresno-Visalia, CA 95.5% 138,117 6,211
National Average 91.9% 359,895 29,035
Top 10 States with the Most Growth in Fast Chargers (excl. Tesla Network), 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank State % Improvement Residents per Fast Charger, 2017 Residents per Fast Charger, 2022
1 New Mexico 98.5% 2,091,784 30,628
2 Oklahoma 98.3% 393,132 6,848
3 Iowa 98.2% 1,570,775 28,075
4 Michigan 97.2% 1,424,731 40,460
5 Louisiana 97.0% 4,670,560 139,098
6 Nebraska 96.1% 957,974 37,131
7 Ohio 95.6% 1,059,968 46,284
8 Wisconsin 95.6% 1,930,062 85,399
9 Colorado 95.3% 295,362 13,872
10 Alabama 94.4% 1,218,622 67,657
National Average 91.9% 359,895 29,035

Top Cities and States for Total Tesla Supercharger Network Growth

 

Tesla continues to grow its Supercharger Network, investing heavily in Greensboro-Winston Salem, Fresno-Visalia, and Indianapolis over the past 5 years. At the state level Tesla has grown its network the fastest in Alaska, New Jersey, and Delaware.

 

Top 10 Metro Areas with the Most Growth in Tesla Network Total Chargers, 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Metro % Improvement Residents per Charger, 2017 Residents per Charger, 2022
1 Greensboro-Winston Salem, NC 87.4% 111,307 13,975
2 Fresno-Visalia, CA 86.1% 26,308 3,656
3 Indianapolis, IN 82.5% 88,510 15,477
4 Philadelphia, PA 80.9% 73,420 14,018
5 West Palm Beach-Ft. Pierce, FL 80.3% 36,075 7,114
6 Kansas City, MO 79.4% 126,006 25,980
7 Chicago, IL 78.9% 62,701 13,242
8 Hartford & New Haven, CT 77.3% 39,486 8,977
9 San Diego, CA 76.8% 23,978 5,571
10 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 76.6% 54,569 12,743
National Average 63.4% 30,412 11,124
Top 10 States with the Most Growth in Tesla Network Total Chargers, 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank State % Improvement Residents per Charger, 2017 Residents per Charger, 2022
1 Alaska 81.4% 246,567 45,849
2 New Jersey 80.9% 69,965 13,384
3 Delaware 78.5% 53,157 11,443
4 Massachusetts 75.1% 53,592 13,350
5 Maryland 74.5% 48,580 12,404
6 Illinois 73.2% 61,437 16,469
7 Minnesota 72.7% 51,539 14,047
8 Indiana 72.4% 61,649 16,998
9 California 72.3% 19,032 5,281
10 Rhode Island 72.2% 70,378 19,531
National Average 63.4% 30,412 11,124

Top Cities and States for Tesla Level 3 Fast Charger Growth

The Tesla Supercharger Network has over 17,000 Level 3 fast chargers, with recent growth the highest in San Diego, San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, and Indianapolis. In terms of state growth, Tesla has added the most Level 3 fast chargers in Maryland, Florida, and Massachusetts over the past 5 years.
Top 10 Metro Areas with the Most Growth in Tesla Network Fast Chargers, 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Metro % Improvement Residents per Fast Charger, 2017 Residents per Fast Charger, 2022
1 San Diego, CA 96.5% 237,783 8,382
2 Orlando-Daytona Beach, FL 94.1% 264,414 15,568
3 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA 92.2% 64,641 5,053
4 Indianapolis, IN 91.9% 320,850 26,099
5 Chicago, IL 91.8% 256,681 21,040
6 Tampa-St Petersburg (Sarasota), FL 91.7% 266,131 22,081
7 Charlotte, NC 91.4% 348,675 30,061
8 Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL 91.1% 147,932 13,136
9 Greensboro-Winston Salem, NC 91.0% 194,788 17,468
10 Fresno-Visalia, CA 90.3% 41,435 4,030
National Average 82.2% 108,473 19,323
Top 10 States with the Most Growth in Tesla Network Fast Chargers, 2017 - 2022 - iSeeCars Study
Rank State % Improvement Residents per Fast Charger, 2017 Residents per Fast Charger, 2022
1 Maryland 94.0% 301,193 17,973
2 Florida 93.0% 268,764 18,788
3 Massachusetts 91.9% 214,368 17,455
4 New Jersey 89.7% 164,547 17,025
5 California 88.2% 64,311 7,618
6 Georgia 87.2% 192,784 24,746
7 Maine 86.2% 83,413 11,545
8 Indiana 85.9% 184,947 26,080
9 Illinois 85.2% 182,555 27,000
10 Pennsylvania 84.0% 168,258 26,913
National Average 82.2% 108,473 19,323

Methodology

iSeeCars analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Energy through 2022 as of February 8, 2023. The number of Level 2 EVSE and DC Fast EVSE ports was aggregated nationally, by metro area, and by state. The data was also aggregated for chargers from Tesla’s network vs. all other networks. The number of chargers was normalized by population counts from the U.S. Census Bureau and expressed as the number of residents per charger.

About iSeeCars

iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $421 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.