Utah is the second best state to own an electric vehicle

Utah has expanded charging stations on a per-capita basis in recent years. Photo: Michael Fousert

PARK CITY, Utah — Bumper.com recently released an analysis of the best and worst states to own an electric car, and Utah ranked #2 overall on the list.

Their study used ten total variables, five being related to financial considerations, and the other five related to infrastructure.

Financial incentives metrics:

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Number of rebates and tax incentives found in each state
Recharge cost
Average price of gas
Mean travel time to work
State cost of an EV versus cost of a gas-powered vehicle

Infrastructure metrics:

Number of new charging stations since 2017
Number of charging stations per 100,000 population
Number of EVSE ports per 100 charging stations
Number of EVSE ports per 100 EV vehicle registrations
EV registrations as a percentage of all motor vehicles in the state

Last year, Park City City Council voted unanimously to adopt new requirements for electric vehicle infrastructure.

In the infrastructure bill passed in Washington earlier in August, $75 billion is allocated towards building electric vehicle charging stations, along with broadband and cybersecurity.

The state of Utah currently provides a $15,000 Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Tax Credit for residents that drive an electric car. The incentive is set to incrementally decrease over the years.

However, there is talk in the state legislature that there should be a charge for electric vehicles because they are evading the gas tax — which provides funding for road repairs and infrastructure across the state.

According to the Utah State Tax Commission, the average vehicle in Utah pays roughly $380 a year in state and federal gas tax. The increase in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) projects a declining future for revenue from the pump.

The Utah Department of Transportation says 0.4% of total standard passenger and light truck registrations are for electric vehicles. However, the growth in the number of registered electric vehicles has jumped 940% since 2015.