State policymakers play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, the  highest-emitting sector of the US economy,1  and accelerating electric vehicle (EV) adoption that benefits  all state residents equitably. Transportation electrification (TE) in the United States has the potential to  improve local air quality in vulnerable communities and spur manufacturing and innovation along the  entire EV value chain, from domestic sourcing of battery materials to providing industry jobs.

We propose approaches that state governments can take to eliminate key barriers to US consumers  choosing an EV, with a focus on helping lower-income drivers access EVs. Key steps include reducing upfront EV costs through incentives; educating residents about EVs to relieve range anxiety; offering public  charging, especially along highway corridors; and implementing sufficient charging infrastructure at home  and work. Although 80% of EV charging today occurs at home,2  over 40% of Americans in the top 100  metropolitan areas live in multiunit dwellings (MUDs) and have limited access to on-site chargers.3 In addition, low-income individuals who live in MUDs are already burdened by housing costs,4  adding  to concerns around equity. Solving the challenge of MUD charging would pave the way for the 1 million  MUD chargers that the United States is estimated to need by 2030, and provide tangible benefits for lowincome households.5 All states can do more to catalyze TE and mitigate carbon emissions. We compared EV policy activity for  five states representing diverse geographic, demographic, and political characteristics: California, Oregon,  Michigan, New Jersey, and Texas. In benchmarking these states’ policies, we found a series of key focus  areas for state policymakers to ensure that EV adoption and charging are affordable and accessible. The  focus areas start with upgrading and maintaining the grid to accommodate the increase in electricity  demand for the least cost, setting sales targets for zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) to track and drive  progress along a clear time line, engaging community-based organizations and environmental justice (EJ)  advocates, and developing more effective transportation policies by designing holistic state programs for  clean mobility.

Federal policy can harmonize individual state requirements by providing a foundation for performance  and technology standards, as well as directing TE investments to low- and moderate-income (LMI)  community members.

Finally, we evaluated the impact of one proposed policy in California: the November 2022 ballot measure  Proposition 30 (Prop. 30), which is designed to spur EV adoption and charging infrastructure by allocating  half of its funding to low-income and disadvantaged community members. Prop. 30 has the potential to  prepare California for its estimated 8 million EVs by 2030 by covering the total investment needed for nearly  20% of required fast charging infrastructure and almost half of the required MUD charging infrastructure. 

When administered through programs such as California’s Clean Cars 4 All (CC4A), Prop. 30 can help to  bridge the total cost of ownership (TCO) differential between a new EV and a typical car purchased by LMI  community members, creating a more equitable distribution of EVs across income levels.