The U.S. electric vehicle (EV) market is maturing despite economic headwinds and persistent concerns about charging infrastructure, according to recent EV industry research.
This week, location and data technology platform Here Technologies and automotive research firm SBD released their Here-SBD Index 2025, an assessment of EV infrastructure and uptake maturity across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 30 European countries. The third annual report found that the United States is entering the early stages of widespread EV deployment, although growth has slowed over the past year, due in part to expiring tax incentives and shifting government policies. It also found that U.S. drivers are more resistant to EV adoption than their European counterparts, citing charging access as the greatest barrier.
The research results are based on an analysis of Here’s proprietary EV charge point data along with several global government and automotive industry data sources between June 2024 and June 2025, according to both companies.
Among the key findings, the U.S. added 37,000 charging points—a 19% increase—and boosted total charge power by 52% over the past year. But growth slowed compared to the 2024 report, when the country saw a 32% increase in charge points installed across the U.S. and an 82% surge in total charge power.
The study also ranked the top five states for EVs based on four criteria: the number of public EV chargers per road length; the average power capacity of public EV chargers; EV fleet share (the number of EVs on the road compared to internal combustion engine vehicles); and the ratio of public chargers to registered EVs. Delaware; Washington, D.C.; New Jersey; New York; and Massachusetts took the top five spots, respectively.
The 2025 Index adds a measure of consumer sentiment, as well. SBD surveyed 1,000 U.S. drivers and 1,000 drivers across the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and Italy in July and August to “better understand evolving attitudes toward EVs,” according to the authors. Those findings reflect a shifting landscape shaped by policy developments, economic factors, and changing public sentiment, according to the report.
For example, 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 also ranked high. Other key consumer findings include:
- Current EV drivers are highly satisfied: Just 5% of respondents in the U.S. said they would not choose electric again.
- U.S. drivers show the most resistance: 57% of U.S. respondents said they are likely to purchase a gasoline-powered car next, compared to only 25% in Europe. Just 24% of Americans said they 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 said they would choose an EV, compared to 80% in the UK.
The research echoes recent industry data citing momentum in the uptake of zero-emission heavy- and medium-duty trucks (ZETs) for commercial and industrial applications. ZETs include both EVs and hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicles. June data from clean transportation consortium Calstart showed a 76% increase in ZET deployments from 2023 to 2024. Despite those gains, the report cited similar barriers noted in the Here-SBD Index, including higher vehicle costs, infrastructure challenges, and government policy uncertainty.
“The third edition of the EV Index shows how consumer views and policy decisions continue to shape the global EV and infrastructure landscape,” Robert Fisher, electrification and sustainability principal at SBD Automotive, said in a statement announcing the 2025 Index results. “Combining fresh survey insights with regional market data reveals both progress and persistent barriers to adoption.”
