Republican EV Owner in New Primary Season Ad Speaks to Bipartisan EV Ownership
New analysis points to EV ownership cutting across party lines as consumers cast their vote for price and performance over politics
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of the next major presidential primary in Michigan, EDF Action today released an ad showing how zero-emission vehicles can save consumers money now and over the life of the vehicle. The new ad features Mark from Eaton Rapids, Michigan, a veteran and a Republican who owns a plug-in-hybrid-electric vehicle as well as a newer battery-powered electric vehicle. In the ad, Mark notes that he likes the performance and convenience of his electric vehicle, while cutting the use of foreign oil. A recent analysis from Environmental Defense Fund showed that electric vehicles are increasingly a more affordable alternative, giving owners across the political spectrum the chance to drive clean vehicles.
Also released today on a parallel track, an analysis of electric vehicle (EV) owners matched to the voter file by L2, a non-partisan voter data provider, shows that EV ownership is bipartisan. Across the country, some 1.7 million voters own electric vehicles, including 820,000 Democrats, 530,000 Republicans and 350,000 No Party or third-party voters. While some have sought to make electric vehicles a political cudgel, in fact, the analysis shows that Democrats are outnumbered by the 850,000 Republican, Independent and third-party voters who own electric vehicles.
“Americans may not all agree on who they vote for, but they are increasingly aligned on clean vehicles,” said David Kieve, president of EDF Action. “Most electric vehicle owners are not looking to send a political message. They are buying a better vehicle. Electric cars and trucks aren’t just better for our pocketbooks, they are better for our health and environment, too. Politicians need to recognize that voters of all stripes are ready to move to cleaner, more affordable choices.”
EDF Action’s analysis shows the among the states with a large number of Republican EV owners are Texas, with 79,000 and Florida, with 45,000. The states with the largest number of Independent or non-partisan voters in EVs are California, with 54,000, Massachusetts, with 29,000 and Florida, with 28,000. Democratic voters who are EV owners can be found in Texas, 85,000 and Virginia, 58,000.
| State | Dem % | Rep % | Ind/Third-Party % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 38.4% | 34.0% | 27.5% |
| Georgia | 33.4% | 46.1% | 20.5% |
| Michigan | 62.5% | 32.3% | 5.2% |
| North Carolina | 36.5% | 24.5% | 39.1% |
| Nevada | 38.4% | 34.4% | 27.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 53.6% | 34.0% | 12.4% |
| Wisconsin | 45.4% | 41.5% | 13.1% |
Analysis of registered voters matched to commercial vehicle data via L2 Data. L2 models voter ID in states that don’t register voters by party.
EDF Action analyzed voter records provided by L2 Data, a well-respected, non-partisan voter data provider used by political professionals on both sides of the aisle as well as academic institutions and news outlets such as the New York Times. The L2 data matches voter files from all 50 states to lists of electric vehicle owners from commercial consumer data sources. Most states include party affiliation in registration although in the remainder, L2 models party ID for each individual voter based on other factors. Vehicle registration counts are publicly available at sources including the U.S. Department of Energy, yet partisan ownership has not been made public before. In 2023, more than 1.4 million EVs were sold in the U.S., a 50% increase in one year. Since 2021, EV sales have more than quadrupled, with over four million EVs on the road.
