At the core of American culture, electric vehicles now take the lead, with nearly 50% more chargers than gas nozzles in the state
Every time I visit California, I’m struck by the sheer number of electric vehicles on the road. As the birthplace of Tesla and Rivian, home to the tech industry, and a state with some of the highest gas prices in the country, it’s no surprise that EV adoption is soaring. Now, charging stations outnumber gas pumps across the state.
According to Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, California has 48% more EV chargers than gas nozzles. The California Energy Commission (CEC) estimates there are about 120,000 gas nozzles compared to 178,000 public and shared private chargers.
However, most of these—162,000—are slower Level 2 chargers, while only 17,000 are DC fast chargers, the closest equivalent to a gas station in the EV world. Still, most EV owners charge at home, making fast charging primarily useful for road trips and those without home charging access.
The state’s charging network has expanded rapidly, nearly doubling in 2024 alone. This growth aligns with rising EV sales, which made up about a quarter of California’s new car market last year—though that momentum has recently slowed.
Newsom took a shot at federal policy, stating, “As the federal government works to make it harder for you to charge your electric car, California is doing the opposite.” The state is investing $1.4 billion to expand EV charging, improve reliability, and speed up charger installation.
These efforts are crucial as California aims for 68% of new car sales to be zero-emission by 2030, with a complete ban on gas-powered car sales by 2035—policies that may soon face legal and legislative challenges.
For now, though, the EV infrastructure in California keeps improving. And personally, I’d take more chargers over paying $4.65 per gallon any day.
