VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The number of folks driving electric vehicles in Virginia has grown by roughly 31,000 since 2021, according to data released by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
That number is expected to keep climbing as Virginia works toward a goal of requiring all new cars sold to be electric by 2035.
While some, like Governor Glenn Youngkin, want to repeal that mandate because of concerns that consumers will take business out of state, others are preparing for a future that holds more electric cars.
Car dealers say it's common to have questions if you get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.
Checkered Flag Volkswagen EV specialist Jay Pichardo knows a thing or two about electric cars.
"I've been driving one for three years now," Pichardo said.
He said he gets one question over and over from customers.
"Many people always ask about the charging stations around the city," said Pichardo.
"The number one concern most customers have is what we've termed 'range anxiety,'" said Michael Wood, general manager at Checkered Flag Volkswagen.
While most electric vehicles can drive 150 to 400 miles on a charge, the 'range anxiety' is typically related to infrastructure. Infrastructure is something dealers said could play a role in the future of Virginia's electrification.
"Just recently we have seen a lot of the big manufacturers pulling back on their investments in the electric future, because the fact is the early adopters have adopted into EV. Now, it's going to be predicated on how well the manufacturers, the state, and the local entities, like us Checkered Flag, get the message across that EVs are available. Then there's also going to have to be the expending on the infrastructure," said Wood.
A spokesperson for Dominion Energy said Virginia will need thousands more charging stations to support electric vehicle adoption over the next decade. That's why the energy company is rolling out programs and offering incentives to encourage businesses and residents to install infrastructure.
"Our intention for those pricing tariffs is to help fill gaps in the market, be complimentary to what third parties are doing and federal funding that's out there," said Kate Staples, director of electrification at Dominion Energy.
She added that a Residential Charger Program that's rolling out soon will help residents install level two EV chargers in a cost effective way.
"We're encouraged because we have a lot of customer interest. We are just trying to make sure we educate customers and make this a sustainable solution for them and make sure those charging stations stay operational and installed," said Staples.
Others, like Checkered Flag, also help customers install charging stations and ease concerns.
Pichardo said he uses an app to find charging stations. Has he run into any issues?
"[Just within] my first year of buying an electric vehicle because I wasn't 100 percent all there. Now, I don't have any problem. I can go on very long trips from here to New York city without having any problems," said Pichardo.
Electric cars aren't for everyone he added. "Some people miss the sound of an engine," said Pichardo. "And some need more information."
But he said after the upfront cost he's felt a return in his wallet.
"I used to spend about $30 a week to fill up a gas tank. Now I spend about $20 a month to charge it at home," said Pichardo.
"They're really fun to drive," added Wood. "And your overall cost of maintenance is actually a little bit less. When you're looking into the total cost of the vehicle you have to factor in future maintenance. Let's just be honest, an EV doesn't have those internally lubricated items that tend to fail. They will have items that tend to fail on them, but your maintenance costs really will be things like brakes and tires."
The first checkpoint of the state mandate is in 2026. That's when 35% of Virginia's new cars and trucks sold must be electric.
