(The Center Square) — As South Carolina officials explore transportation electrification, a new ranking found the state’s largest city didn’t rank among the best cities for electric vehicle owners.
Roof Gnome’s new ranking of 2023’s Best Cities to Own an Electric Car found Charleston was 153rd on the list.
The Holy City was the only Palmetto State city to make the list. A spokesperson for the study told The Center Square its sample includes the 200 largest cities across the country.
In early 2022, South Carolina officials began working on the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Deployment Plan.
“South Carolina’s plan will prioritize placement of passenger car electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment along the interstate highway system to complement [the] completion of the national network,” according to the state’s plan, released in August 2022. “Initial emphasis will be placed on rural sections of interstate where the lack of urban facilities make it less feasible for investments from the private sector.”
Nationally, San Diego; Houston; Irvine, California; and New York ranked as the best cities to own an electric car. Conversely, Detroit; Newark, New Jersey; Hialeah, Florida; and Paterson, New Jersey, ranked as the worst cities to own an electric car.
In neighboring North Carolina, six cities also ranked on the list: Charlotte (80), Raleigh (81), Durham (108), Winston-Salem (165), Greensboro (168) and Fayetteville (175). In neighboring Georgia, five cities also ranked on the list: Atlanta (112), Savannah (149), Columbus (162), Augusta (178), and Macon (194).
In February, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, announced the launch of scpowersev.com, a “virtual hub” highlighting the state’s burgeoning electric vehicle industry. In June, the governor issued an executive order to form a working group to address energy use in the state and develop an updated state energy plan.
