Introduction

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are revolutionizing transportation as a fossil free environmental alternative to traditional gas-powered vehicles. Understanding the trends and challenges of EV adoption and charging infrastructure is crucial for local policymakers. This report provides:

  • A comprehensive analysis of EV sales by city and county (focusing on Contra Costa County), featuring interactive graphs standardized by the total number of cars in each respective city and county

  • Detailed information on EVs and EV chargers in each city, including a map of public charger locations, a chart of most the popular models, and highlight the federal electric bus program, which is driving the transition to zero-emission buses.

  • Graphs on key factors related to the EV landscape are also included: the average cost of ownership, car fires, and well-to-wheel emissions. These factors, offer a holistic view of the EV landscape in California and empowers readers to make informed decisions about the future of sustainable transportation.

All data used is sourced from publicly available data sets, ensuring transparency and accountability.

City Electric Transportation Rankings

Rankings are the culmination of two factors: 1. EV sales in each city standardized by the number of vehicles registered in each city 2. The number of Public EV charging stations in each city also Standardized by number of vehicles registered in each city.

Electric Vehicles Sales 2022

The presented graph displays a ranking of 2022 Electric Vehicle car sales, standardized by the number of cars in each city. The data used for this graph was sourced from the California Energy Commission (CEC)

Charging Stations

This graph ranks the cities of Contra Costa County on the number of Charging stations per car in their city. Data collected from the Alternate fuel database. Note only public charging stations were used in this analysis.

In-Depth Analysis

Map of Public EV chargers in Contra Costa County

This is a map of EV charging stations in Contra Costa County colored Network. Hover over each marker to see the number of stations and click on each to see the Network Facility and city.

Electric vehicle (EV) charging is important because it enables the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable transportation system, reducing the carbon footprint and air pollution caused by traditional vehicles. The availability of a robust and reliable charging infrastructure is crucial to encourage the adoption of EVs and to provide drivers with the confidence to travel longer distances. Additionally, EV charging offers economic benefits by reducing fuel costs and providing new business opportunities in the energy sector.

ZEV sales by Model

Zero Emission Vehicles or ZEV Encompasses Electric Vehicles, Hydrogen Vehicles and Plug in Hybrid Vehicles. The main report focuses on Just EVs because, Hydrogen and PHEV vehicles are less efficient than true electric vehicles. They have lower energy efficiency due to the support of an internal combustion engine in PHEVs or the inefficiency of producing and delivering hydrogen in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The infrastructure for charging electric vehicles is more developed than that for refueling hydrogen vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are more expensive to produce than BEVs and PHEVs tend to be more expensive than BEVs. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and PHEVs still produce emissions, while BEVs are considered to be more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. Other ZEVs were in the data set but we are only displaying the top 5 brands to simplify the graph.

Reasons to Transition to an Electric Vehicle

Average Cost of Ownership

Calculations are using the least expensive Internal combustion F150 (Rear wheel drive) compared to the standard F150 Lightining with current tax credits. Standard 15,000 mile yearly range and Current PG&E kWh pricing and local gas price of $4.00 applied. Insurance, depreciation and a multitude of other factors were taken from national averages. Cost of ownership drops in year 7 due to salvage value. If you want to play around with the parameters use this tool: Calculate your cost of Ownership https://atlaspolicy.com/fleet-procurement-analysis-tool/

Car Fires

Electric vehicles (EVs) have a lower risk of fires than internal combustion vehicles (ICVs) because they do not have a fuel system that can ignite. However, when an EV does catch fire, it can be more difficult to extinguish due to the high-voltage battery and the potential for reignition. ICVs are more likely to catch fire due to fuel leaks or electrical malfunctions, but these fires are typically easier to control and extinguish.

Ford and GM have both had recent recalls on their electric vehicles due to thermal runaway. However EVs remain far less likely to catch fire then their Internal Combustion counter parts. The data shown here is from the Bureau of Transportation crash report(2017).

Statewide Adoption Levels

California is a leader in Electric vehicle sales. There are may rebates and incentive for purchasing and EV. Use this calculator to see what you are currently eligible for: https://ev.pge.com/incentives/

Data Description and Citation

The data used in this analysis includes the following:

  • Alternative Fuel Station Locations: This dataset includes the locations of alternative fuel stations in the United States, including electric charging stations, compressed natural gas stations, and hydrogen fueling stations. This data was obtained from the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC) and can be downloaded at https://afdc.energy.gov.

  • Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Sales: This dataset includes annual sales data for new ZEVs, including battery electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles, in California. This data was obtained from the California Energy Commission (CEC) and can be downloaded at https://www.energy.ca.gov/data-reports/energy-almanac/zero-emission-vehicle-and-infrastructure-statistics.

  • Vehicles in Each City: This dataset includes the number of vehicles in each city in California. The data was obtained from the American Community Survey 2022.

When using this data, please cite the following sources:

Atlas Public Policy. (n.d.). Fleet Procurement Analysis Tool. Retrieved May 3, 2023, from https://atlaspolicy.com/fleet-procurement-analysis-tool/

If you have any questions or comments about this report or the data sources used, please feel free to reach out to the author at and to

Additional Resources

State by State Releative Emissions from the DoE

The impact of electric vehicles is directly related to where and how the electricity used to run them is sourced. Cleaning and improving the grid helps EVs have a larger impact.

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