According to a new analysis, the average length of trips made by electric vehicles is increasing, and it could equal the duration of trips by internal combustion engines within the next 18 months. It’s a sign that many buyers may be directly replacing gas-powered models with electric vehicles, and anxiety about that range may be waning.
These conclusions come from UK-based data analytics firm Wejo Group Limited, which used real-world trip data from connected cars. The findings are based on “trillions of data points from billions of journeys from more than 11 million vehicles across the United States,” filtered by states and cities with more than 1,000 electric and internal combustion vehicles on the road. theirs, the company said. in a press release.
Currently across the US, the typical daily trip length for an EV is about 30 miles, while that’s just under 33 miles for a gas car.
According to the analysis, among metro areas surveyed, many have seen average tram ride length increase in 2022 compared to 2021. The largest increase was reported. in Toledo, Ohio; Bakersfield and Fresno, California; and Plano, Texas, at 11% to 17% from 2021.
Increase EV journey 2021-2022 (from Wejo Group Limited)
At the same time, many of the same metropolitan areas—including Bakersfield and Fresno, as well as Stockton, California; Reno, Nevada; and Anchorage, Alaska—reported to have reduced the travel time of internal combustion engine vehicles by 3% to 5%.
At the state level, South Carolina had the biggest increase in tram trip lengths, at 22%, followed by Texas and Nevada at 10%, Michigan and Indiana, both of which have average distances that Electric vehicles are expected to grow 9% by 2022. Several states also saw declines in average internal combustion trip length, with Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, North Dakota and Delaware having the largest gap. , between 4% and 6% shorter than in 2021.
Years ago, studies found that range anxiety kept people from turning to electric vehicles for their daily driving. But that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. must admit, underestimate the capabilities of the EV has been a transparent problem. Even in 2012, excluding Tesla Model S, one study suggested that 95% of all trips can be done in an EV. As several studies have shown over the years, just owning an EV will quell some common concerns.
2023 BMW iX xDrive50
An issue that first surfaced in 2009 has become of more concern—worry charging, or worry that even if the charger is nearby, it will not work. The charging infrastructure has expanded significantly since then, but reliability remains a concern. It is in stark contrast to the situation when electric cars first appeared more than a century ago, when the lack of fuel stations caused gas range worries popular, with EV charging seemingly easy by comparison.
Eliminating range anxiety is important for increasing EV adoption, but to achieve the ultimate goal of reducing emissions across the entire vehicle fleet, Americans need to drive a lot less. However, that only seems to happen when gas prices spike.
