According to a recent report from Pike Research, sales of PEVs in the largest 102 cities in the US will total slightly more than 1.8 million vehicles from 2012 through to 2020.
Cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle combine large population areas with early roll-out schedules from vehicle manufacturers, and positive attitudes toward PEVs among residents, making them “fertile ground” for PEV manufacturers in the coming years.
“More than a quarter of all annual US PEV sales will be in the top five metropolitan areas for PEV sales – New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland,” said Pike Research senior research analyst Dave Hurst.
“But thanks to a combination of positive attitudes towards green driving, high fuel prices, and state government support, California metropolitan statistical areas will account for more than one in five PEVs sold.”
The report, Electric Vehicle Geographic Forecasts, indicates that PEV acceptance is strongly linked to not only the availability of PEV models, but also the accessibility of charging infrastructure. Texas, for example, has seen a dramatic increase in the number of EV charging stations available in 2012.
Pike Research’s index of positive opinions toward PEVs moved the state’s ranking from 42nd in 2010 to fourth in 2012, the largest change of any state in the index.
