Kelly Hoogland, a UC‑Davis researcher, shared some eye‑opening data about the biggest gaps in EV adoption—and spoiler: it’s not just about money or charging stations.
High-income news flash: just adding EV chargers doesn’t cut it. In her report “Vehicle Purchasing Behavior, Expenditure, and Potential Barriers to Uptake of Battery Electric Vehicles in Underserved Communities,” Kelly demonstrates what many suspected: people can’t buy what they don’t see—or know about.
Building public charging infrastructure without marketing, education, and peer exposure isn’t enough—underdog demographics still won’t consider EVs because they literally don’t notice them.
Kelly’s previous dissertation also tackled this: sheer charging density isn’t a quick fix. It’s that moment when someone actually sees that charger—whether they know an EV owner or spot one at the grocery store—that nudges them closer to switching. That’s why seeing = believing.
Data shows that people who can plug in at home (or work) tend to champion EV ownership. For underserved communities, lack of home or workplace charging is the biggest barrier. Incentives help—but they don’t replace the convenience of a charger at home.
Awareness is social—knowing an EV owner or chatting about EVs makes a difference. Kelly found that word of mouth from local peers—real social influences—boosts confidence in considering EVs.
If underserved communities are to benefit equally from electrification, we need a multi-pronged approach:
Kelly Hoogland’s research reminds us that EV adoption isn’t just an engineering problem—it’s a human one. Infrastructure matters, but seeing, understanding, and trusting EVs often matters more—especially for communities that have been left out of the green revolution.
Building out chargers won’t solve disparities alone. But when paired with outreach, education, and peer connection, it can kickstart a deeper shift—and bring EV benefits to everyone, not just those already plugged in.
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Published July 3, 2025 1:44PM
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