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Electric car
The latest study from iSeeCars, which examined the driving habits of electric vehicle (EV) owners in the top 50 U.S. markets, has shed light on the popularity of electric options with Milwaukee’s drivers. The city ranked 49th of the top 50 markets, beating out just Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo, Michigan.
According to the study, the average annual mileage for a three-year-old electric vehicle in Milwaukee is 7,864 miles, compared to the 11,981 miles for their gasoline-powered counterparts. This reveals a significant gap, with EVs in the area being driven 34.4% less than traditional fuel vehicles.
iSeeCars' report included a ranking of the top 5 most driven EVs in Milwaukee based on average annual miles. The Tesla Model 3 leads the list with an average of 10,226 miles per year, followed by the Tesla Model X at 8,406 miles, and the Hyundai Kona Electric close behind at 8,383 miles. The Tesla Model S and BMW i3 also made the list, with 8,341 and 7,718 average annual miles respectively.
This study supports the growing evidence that the EV market is expanding, although EVs are still driven 29% less nationwide (a difference of about 3,699 fewer miles per year) compared to gasoline-powered vehicles. Several other Midwestern cities ranked high in the study, with Detroit taking the top spot for EV usage. Cincinnati, Columbus, and St. Louis all ranked within the top 10 cities for electric vehicles amongst the study. One possible reason for this disparity, the study suggests, is range anxiety among EV users.
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Charging infrastructure in the city, although improving, still lags behind traditional refueling options. Fully recharging an EV can take anywhere from 30 minutes at a fast-charging station, to several hours with a home charging station. Gas stations are far more frequent than locations with electric charging stations in the city and suburbs.
Karl Brauer, iSeeCars.com’s executive analyst, notes that range anxiety is less about the fear of being stranded and more about the inconvenience of the refueling process. "In a gasoline car, regardless of how far you’re going, there are always plenty of refueling options and the process takes 5 to 10 minutes. Until EVs can offer that level of convenience at a comparable cost, they will be at a distinct disadvantage in terms of use and market demand," Brauer said.
For more detailed national rankings of EV use, the full study is available on iSeeCars' website.
