U.S. households show EV ownership gap between homeowners and renters

Traders Union
All News
Economic Data
EV ownership gap: homeowners vs renters

Highlights

According to the Census Bureau's 2025 American Community Survey, 6.4% of homeowners own an EV versus 3.6% of renters, indicating a broad ownership gap.
The national survey establishes a benchmark: 5.5% of 134 million U.S. households—about 7.3 million—report at least one EV, with the gap consistent across all regions.
Charging access and income, especially home charging infrastructure and higher incomes among homeowners, are key factors behind this structural divide in EV adoption.

New Census snapshot of household EV adoption

As reported by Axios, citing the Census Bureau's 2025 American Community Survey, homeowners are nearly twice as likely as renters to own an electric vehicle. The survey shows 6.4% of homeowners report having an EV, compared with 3.6% of renters, while 5.5% of the nation's 134 million households, about 7.3 million homes, say they have at least one EV.

The Census Bureau is asking households with vehicles at home about EV ownership for the first time, creating a national benchmark for adoption patterns. The figures also show the gap holds across all locations surveyed, pointing to a broad structural divide rather than a regional anomaly.

California posts the highest levels in the data, with 17.7% of homeowners reporting an EV versus 8.9% of renters. That spread mirrors the national pattern even in the country's most advanced EV market.

Charging access and income shape the divide

Reliable charging access appears to be a central factor in the ownership gap, especially for households with private driveways or garages. That dynamic tends to favor homeowners, who are more likely to have dedicated space for home charging.

Local government policies and income levels also influence adoption, with higher-income homeowners more likely to afford an EV, in some cases as an additional vehicle. The current dataset does not measure charging access directly and does not explain why households choose EVs, limiting conclusions about the exact drivers of the disparity.

Because only one year of data is available, it remains unclear whether the divide between homeowners and renters is widening. Still, the results suggest the next phase of EV market growth may depend not just on vehicle prices and incentives, but on housing conditions and access to charging infrastructure.

Our earlier article on BYD Malaysia’s local assembly plans explained that the company signed an MoU with Inokom Corporation to assemble completely knocked-down (CKD) vehicles in Kulim, Kedah. We also noted this followed BYD’s decision not to proceed with an assembly plant in Tanjung Malim, after export-related requirements affected the project. The partnership was framed as a step that could strengthen Malaysia’s automotive ecosystem, though model and timeline details were not yet disclosed.

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.