Florida ranks 12th nationwide for public electric vehicle charger access

TAMPA, Fla. - Traveling around Florida in an electric vehicle is becoming easier as the number of public charging locations continues to grow.

A recent study from global automotive research firm SBD Automotive and mapping and location-data company HERE Technologies found Florida's public EV charging locations increased 13% last year.

The study ranked Florida 12th in the nation for charging station availability. Researchers considered factors including the number of chargers relative to road length and the number of chargers available at each station.

Electric charger availability grows

Dig deeper:

The growing charging network comes as more drivers consider making the switch to electric vehicles. The same survey found charging availability is a major factor for drivers considering EVs, along with rising gasoline prices.

Nearly 60% of U.S. respondents pointed to volatile gas prices as a primary reason they are warming to electric vehicles.

Florida's EV market share has also grown. According to Clean Energy's September report, electric vehicles accounted for nearly 10% of new vehicle sales in Florida, compared with about 7.5% nationally. Florida also led the Southeast in new EV sales.

What they're saying:

EV owners and advocates say the expanding charging network is making longer trips easier, although some believe more stations are still needed.

"The charging stations haven't expanded far enough and wide enough for people to notice them," said Larry Wexler, the president of the Electric Vehicle Association Central Florida Chapter. "There's one new charging station company that when they put it up, it actually looks like a gas station, so I think that's going to be a friendly place to go."

Some EV owners say the growing number of fast chargers has also made long-distance travel more manageable.

"I just read they just installed a new one in Clearwater and that's right in your backyard there," said Peter Bernard, the president of The Villages Tesla Club. "They're installing these superchargers, so it's very easy to just travel and do a long-distance trip with a Tesla."

Wexler said lower operating costs are one of the biggest benefits of owning an EV.

"The biggest thing is saving money," Wexler said. "It really does save money over the long run."

Bernard said EV owners can also save on maintenance costs.

"You don't have to do oil changes," Bernard said. 

He also pointed to savings on brakes because regenerative braking allows the motor to help slow the vehicle. Bernard added it can take roughly 30 to 45 minutes to charge a battery to about 80% at a public charging station.

Most public charging stations require drivers to pay through a mobile app.

For many EV owners, most charging happens at home. When taking a longer road trip, drivers often identify charging stations along their route before leaving.

The other side:

Despite growing interest in electric vehicles, the national EV market is facing a different trend.

The SBD Automotive and HERE Technologies study found EV market share nationally was down 3%, even as more drivers expressed interest in electric vehicles.