Vermont Business Magazine Rising gas prices, societal trends and a growing charging infrastructure have sparked a new demand for alternative fuel vehicles. Analysts from online insurer QuoteWizard found that while search interest for electric cars spiked 300% between February and March of 2022, demand for alternative fuel vehicles is up 40% for electric cars and 50% for hybrid vehicles compared to 2021.
The cost of insuring an electric or hybrid car is nearly 25% more expensive than other vehicles. Which is one reason why interest in alternative fuel vehicles varies significantly from state to state.
Key findings:
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California, Alaska and Vermont have the highest interest in electric or hybrid cars
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Wyoming, Mississippi and South Dakota have the lowest interest in alternative fuel vehicles
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Interest in hybrid cars is growing faster than interest in electric vehicles
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Demand for electric cars is up 40%
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Demand for hybrid cars is up 50%
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Insuring an electric vehicle can cost 25% more than a traditional car
| Rank | State | Search Index Average |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 78.5 |
| 2 | Alaska | 72 |
| 3 | Vermont | 71.5 |
| 4 | Hawaii | 71 |
| 5 | Arizona | 69 |
| 6 | Washington | 68.5 |
| 7 | Maine | 63 |
| 8 | Utah | 61 |
| 9 | Oregon | 60 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | 59 |
| 11 | Maryland | 56 |
| 12 | Delaware | 54 |
| 13 | Colorado | 53.5 |
| 14 | Idaho | 53 |
| 15 | Virginia | 52 |
| 16 | Michigan | 52 |
| 17 | West Virginia | 51.5 |
| 18 | Massachusetts | 50.5 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 50 |
| 20 | Nevada | 50 |
| 21 | Kentucky | 49 |
| 22 | Connecticut | 49 |
| 23 | Florida | 49 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | 48.5 |
| 25 | New Mexico | 48 |
| 26 | Minnesota | 48 |
| 27 | Illinois | 47 |
| 28 | Ohio | 47 |
| 29 | New Jersey | 46.5 |
| 30 | New York | 45.5 |
| 31 | North Carolina | 45 |
| 32 | Georgia | 44 |
| 33 | Indiana | 43.5 |
| 34 | Arkansas | 43.5 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 43.5 |
| 36 | Tennessee | 41 |
| 37 | Missouri | 41 |
| 38 | Iowa | 40.5 |
| 39 | South Carolina | 40.5 |
| 40 | Texas | 40 |
| 41 | North Dakota | 40 |
| 42 | Alabama | 39.5 |
| 43 | Louisiana | 39.5 |
| 44 | Nebraska | 39 |
| 45 | Kansas | 39 |
| 46 | Montana | 39 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | 39 |
| 48 | Wyoming | 36 |
| 49 | Mississippi | 29 |
| 50 | South Dakota | 23.5 |
| Methodology: Data is sourced from Google analytics with a date range of January 2021 - to April 2022. Search index number is rounded to the nearest half number. The max search index score is 100 with higher numbers indicating a greater proportionate search interest for that area. Data for some states is not available. | ||
California also leads the way when it comes to cities with the highest interest in alternative fuel vehicles. The Golden State has eight cities in the top 10 when it comes to electric and hybrid vehicle interest.
| Rank | State | Search Index Average |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego, CA | 94 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 90 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | 89 |
| 4 | Palm Springs, CA | 89 |
| 5 | Fresno, CA | 88 |
| 6 | Santa Barbara, CA | 82 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | 79.5 |
| 8 | Monterey, CA | 79.5 |
| 9 | Bend, OR | 74.5 |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | 69 |
| 11 | Joplin, MO | 66.5 |
| Methodology: Data is sourced from Google analytics with a date range of January 2021 - April 2022. Search index number is rounded to the nearest half number. The max search index score is 100 with higher numbers indicating a greater proportionate search interest for that area. Data for some states is not available. | ||
Methodology
QuoteWizard compared rates from several insurance companies for this article. The driver profile we used to get these quotes was of a 30-year-old male who lives in California. He drives either a 2010 Hyundai Elantra or a 2019 Hyundai Elantra, depending on the quote. He has a clean driving record and 100/300/100 coverage limits.
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