No Surprise That Wyoming Has Under 1,000 EV’s

I drive around Wyoming quite often, and one thing I don't see much is electric vehicles. You may see a few more in places like Casper, Cheyenne, and Jackson, but I would be shocked to see an electric vehicle in Lusk, Medicine Bow, or Pinedale.

New research shows that Wyoming isn't jumping on the EV bandwagon.

I'm not sure how driving an electric vehicle in Wyoming would work. The Department of Energy says the average electric vehicle can go 110-300 miles per charge. If you're driving around town, that's okay, but you may be in trouble if you're planning a trip outside of town.

Another big "pucker" factor for me would be where in the heck I was going to charge the vehicle. If you don't have a DC Fast charging station, getting a full charge could take half a day. Energy.gov breaks down the charging time.

“Level 1” charging units add 2–5 miles of range per hour of charging.

"Level 2” charging units add 10–30 miles of range per hour of charging.

“DC fast” units can add 100–200+ miles of range in as little as 30 minutes.

 

Driving from Casper to Cheyenne is 177 miles. Add in the speed, wind, weather, and hilly terrain, and you'll likely have to stop and recharge before you cross the state line. It doesn't seem like owning an EV will be in my favor because I like to adventure too much.

Many Wyomingites feel the same. Last year, a bill tried to phase out sales of electric vehicles in Wyoming by 2035. It didn't pass, but just by looking at the lack of EVs registered in the Cowboy State, it shows the lack of interest. Wyoming is second to last in EVs, with only 800 registered as of 2023. For every 10,000 people in Wyoming, there are 14 electric cars. North Dakota has the fewest total EVs, with 600.