Demographic disparity and influences in electric vehicle adoption: A Florida case study

The mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) remains an emerging goal despite existing barriers. Equity issues widely exist, but previous studies have mainly focused on purchase incentives and charging infrastructure. This study employs multinomial logistic mixed (MLM) and generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) to analyze the probability of owning an EV and the willingness to purchase an EV in Florida, respectively. Our analysis indicates significant demographic disparities, with older individuals and females less likely to own Tesla EVs, while Black and Hispanic individuals prefer non-Tesla EVs; social networks and awareness of climate change are crucial in influencing the willingness to adopt EVs. Policy implications drawn from our findings suggest the need for targeted marketing and financial incentives to address demographic disparities, the expansion of social network influence to drive adoption, and increased awareness and accessibility of EV-related policies and infrastructure to promote a more equitable transition to electric mobility.