More and more electric vehicles are hitting Kentucky’s roads. Where can you charge one?
Even as more types of electric vehicles hit the market, nationwide use has declined in 2024 due to concerns regarding charging the vehicles, according to a survey from the American Automobile Association.
The April survey showed only 18% of 1,152 participants said it was “likely” or “very likely” they would purchase an EV, 23% less than last year’s report, according to an AAA June 6 press release.
“AAA found the main hesitations in purchasing an EV continue to be cost, lack of convenient charging options and range anxiety,” the press release states. “Three in ten also cited the inability to install a charging station where they live.”
Should Kentuckians share those charging concerns? Here’s what to know about finding EV chargers across the Bluegrass State and the uptake of gas-alternative vehicles.
Electric vehicles on Kentucky roads
There were 10,750 registered electric vehicles in Kentucky as of 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The number of EVs on the state’s roads is steadily increasing, federal data show, up from is at 7,600 registered in 2022 and 4,200 in 2021.
Comparatively, Kentucky’s 2023 number of EVs ranks lower than six of its seven neighboring states, however:
Illinois: 93,021
Virginia: 78,694
Ohio: 46,128
Tennessee: 30,483
Missouri: 24,665
Indiana: 23,987
Kentucky: 10,750
West Virginia: 2,542
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the state’s Energy and Environment Cabinet claim the commonwealth is at the center of the EV “revolution.”
The Team Kentucky website states “Kentucky’s vision is for a reliable, accessible, convenient, and affordable EV charging network that supports transportation choices, energy diversification, economic development, and environmental sustainability for all Kentuckians.”
To expand the charging network, the commonwealth was allotted nearly $70 million in federal funding in the 2023 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan.
“Our goal is to create a complete network of electric vehicle chargers by the year 2030,” the transportation cabinet stated in a video released earlier this year. “The roughly 40 stations will be built no more than 50 miles apart along Kentucky’s 11 interstates and eight parkways.”
An EV can travel “between 110 and over 300 miles on a single charge,” according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Considering this, a charging station every 50 miles could ease range anxiety for Kentuckians.
But owning an electric in Kentucky has gotten more expensive. Since the start of the year, Kentucky EV users have to pay a charging tax of 3 cents per kilowatt hour of electricity when using charging stations. There is also a new registration fee for electric and hybrid vehicles as of Jan. 1.
“Accessible, reliable, affordable, and convenient charging is key to growing EV interest and adoption,” Lori Weaver Hawkins, AAA Blue Grass public affairs manager, said in the June 6 press release.
As of 2023, Kentucky and Kansas are the only states in the U.S. that don’t offer any incentive for purchasing an EV, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Where can I charge my electric vehicle in Kentucky?
There are more than 140 EV charging station locations across the Bluegrass State as of this year, as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy. Most are open publicly 24 hours a day.
Lexington has 11 of the locations, and most of the charging stations are found in Louisville.
Look to the map below for a charging station in your area.
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