When it comes to e-mobility, New York is playing catch-up

The US electric vehicle (EV) market grew by 81% in 2018—a surprising rate that far exceeded the expectations of many in the nation’s automotive industry. Tesla and Toyota led the charge in a country that has until recently lagged far behind China and Europe in EV adoption. Progress towards widespread EV purchase and usage is still slow, but steadily rising. California, where 4.8% of vehicles are battery electric (BEV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV), is leading the way. Car-centric Los Angeles already has 1,800 charging stations, and in 2018 California Governor Jerry Brown signed an executive order setting a goal of five million EVs on the state’s roads by 2030. Now, especially in larger cities, more consumers across the US are considering making the switch with their personal cars and demanding changes to public transit and commercial vehicles.