A growing body of research shows that the behavior of peers has a significant impact on an individual’s decision making around energy choices, from deciding to install solar panels to opting to buy an EV. Neighbors, friends, and coworkers have strong influence within a community and can change local behavior around any number of issues. In short, personal energy choices can be contagious. For example, several studies have demonstrated that the chance of an individual choosing to install solar panels on a residential roof increases as more panels are installed in that person’s neighborhood or region. This report, Peer Influence and Electric Vehicle Adoption, uses a detailed analysis of new electric vehicle registrations in 11 U.S. “designated market areas” (DMAs) to provide insight into the influence that individuals have on the increased local adoption of EVs. Researchers analyze “hot spot” data to assess changes in EV registrations over the five-year period from 2018 to 2022. The analysis was performed with insight from S&P Global Mobility and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and is coupled with on-the-ground stories of EV owners.

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