U.S. EV Market Matures Despite Infrastructure Gaps and Consumer Hesitation

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  HERE-SBD EV Index 2025 reveals U.S. entering early stages of large-scale EV deployment with gains across all four Index categories

• New consumer survey finds U.S. drivers most resistant to EV adoption compared to drivers in Europe, citing charging access as the top barrier

• East Coast “EV corridor” dominates top five spots in this year’s rankings

• Only two states and Washington, D.C. meet optimal ratio of chargers per EV, highlighting uneven EV maturity

Ahead of World EV Day, HERE Technologies, the leading mapping and location data company, and SBD Automotive, a global automotive research firm, released the third annual HERE–SBD EV Index, revealing the U.S. is entering the early stages of widespread electric vehicle deployment. While EV infrastructure and adoption improved across all categories measured in the Index, growth slowed compared to last year as the country faces expiring tax incentives and heightened consumer expectations for infrastructure.

The HERE-SBD EV Index 2025 offers one of the industry’s most comprehensive assessments of EV infrastructure and uptake maturity, ranking all 50 U.S. states (+D.C.) and 30 European countries. It uses an analysis of HERE proprietary EV charge point data and several global government and automotive industry data sources between June 2024 and June 2025.

A key finding since last year’s Index, the U.S. added 37,000 charging points (a 19% increase) and boosted total charge power by 52%. However, growth slowed compared to 2024, when the country saw a 32% increase in charge points installed across the U.S. and an 82% surge in total charge power.

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Consumer Sentiment Highlights Gaps in EV Adoption
New this year, SBD surveyed 1,000 drivers in the U.S. and 1,000 drivers across the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy in July and August 2025 to better understand evolving attitudes toward EVs. The findings reflect a shifting landscape shaped by policy developments, economic factors and changing public sentiment.

More than half (53%) of U.S. respondents cited the perception of access to charging as the top barrier to EV adoption. Concerns about range anxiety and charging time were also prominent, reinforcing the need for continued investment in public infrastructure.

Consumer Survey Highlights

• Current EV drivers are highly satisfied: Only 5% of respondents in the U.S. would not choose electric again.
• U.S. drivers show the most resistance: 57% of U.S. respondents are likely to purchase a gasoline-powered car next, compared to only 25% in Europe. Only 24% of Americans believe EVs will make up more than half of new car sales by 2030.
• Price remains a major factor: If cost and specs were equivalent for electric and gasoline-powered cars, 32% of U.S. drivers would choose an EV, compared to 80% in the UK.
• EVs closely linked to sustainability: 73% of Americans say EVs are important to meeting climate targets.
• Dealer education is lacking: 75% of U.S. respondents reported receiving no EV education from the dealer.
• Certain regions are satisfied with charging access: At least 70% of respondents in Washington, Maryland and California said charging availability is good.

HERE-SBD EV Index 2025 Rankings Snapshot
The Index is based on the following four metrics (each ranked on a scale of 25 for a total maximum of 100 points):

• How far you must drive to find a charger: number of public EV chargers per road length.
• How quickly you can charge: the average power capacity of public EV chargers.
• Number of EVs on the road versus internal combustion engine vehicles: EV fleet share.
• Likelihood of finding an unoccupied charger: the ratio of public chargers to registered EVs.

Rankings Key Takeaways

• Top 5: Delaware (1), Washington, D.C. (2), New Jersey (3), New York (4), Massachusetts (5).
• Delaware and D.C. retained top spots, though both saw declines due to decreasing average charge power and charger ratio respectively.
• New Jersey and New York entered the top five, signaling the rise of an East Coast EV corridor. New Jersey surged due to average charger power; New York was boosted by its charger ratio.
• Most improved: Kentucky rose from 45th to 28th with increased charging power and charger ratio; New Mexico climbed from 34th to 15th with the installation of 300 charge points; Iowa moved from 38th to 23rd with the installation of 340 charge points.
• Biggest decrease: West Virginia fell from 18th to 42nd as one of only two states with decreasing average charge power; Delaware held onto the top ranking but saw charging power and charger ratio declines; Arizona moved from 13th to 20th due to declining fleet share.

Positioned for Measured Growth
This year’s Index introduces a balance scorecard as a new layer of analysis, showing consistency across metrics. This year’s most balanced states, including Alaska, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, fall outside the top 25, suggesting their potential for consistent, measured growth in the future.

Another key metric is the charger-to-EV ratio. With an EV market share in 2025 Q1 of around 8% (Alliance for Automotive Innovation), the U.S. should ideally have 9-10 EVs per public charge point.

Each state will have a different target ratio depending on road network size, population density, rate of market adoption and EV fleet share. The ratio should increase as markets mature, but only three regions met their optimal ratio this year: Washington, D.C. (9.4:1), Vermont (7.6:1) and Wyoming (4.2:1).

Policy and Investment Context
The HERE–SBD EV Index 2025 underscores a pivotal moment where infrastructure deployment is falling behind rising EV demand. Delays and inconsistencies in programs like the NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) rollout – including a six month freeze and uneven state-level implementation – have led to fragmented access, reinforcing the survey’s finding that the perception of charging availability is the top barrier to adoption.

“The third edition of the EV Index shows how consumer views and policy decisions continue to shape the global EV and infrastructure landscape. Combining fresh survey insights with regional market data reveals both progress and persistent barriers to adoption,” said Robert Fisher, Electrification and Sustainability Principal at SBD Automotive. “The findings also make clear that current efforts are not sufficient to meet most regional electrification ambitions, underscoring the need for stronger policies and more proactive product strategies. By sharing these insights, we aim to equip decision-makers across the ecosystem with the clarity needed to accelerate progress for consumers, industry, and society alike.”

“This year’s EV Index highlights where infrastructure is falling short of consumer expectations and where coordinated action is most needed,” said Chris Handley, Vice President of Product Management at HERE Technologies. “We look forward to working with our partners across the automotive industry, charge point operators and technology providers to deliver the data and location intelligence needed to ensure EV drivers can accurately find public charging stations, understand optimal times to charge, and overcome the access barriers identified in our survey.”

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