The conversion from gas-powered to electric vehicles in Texas is on the rise, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments. As National Drive Electric Week charges up in Fort Worth, event organizers are hopeful to see more drivers make the transition.
Prospective electric vehicle buyers and owners are encouraged to spend their Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Tanger Outlets in Fort Worth, where several makes and models will be on display.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition partner together to bring National Drive Electric Week, or NDEW, to North Texas on an annual basis. Running from Sept. 27 to Oct. 6 this year, the event is a countrywide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits that driving electric brings, highlighting its contribution to a cleaner environment by minimizing carbon emissions.
As of Oct. 1, 2024, Tarrant County has the fifth highest number of registered electric vehicles out of all Texas counties, with 21,591, according to data from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles.
North Texas is home to 113,176 electric vehicles, topping major cities including Houston and San Antonio.
As a whole, Texas accounts for 309,807 registered electric vehicles, the data shows.
The council says many factors are fueling this push to drive electric and do away with gas-powered cars.
“There’s so many more [electric] models now,” said Savana Nance, the council’s senior air quality planner. “Almost every single major manufacturer actually has an electric vehicle available.”
The DMV’s data illustrates Tesla, specifically its Model Y, as the leading electric car in North Texas, but the more than 100 different models now on the market make people excited, Nance said.
She also considers that the increasing availability of charging stations and the gasoline tax credit makes the move to electric a smooth one. Electric vehicle owners qualify for a credit up to $7,500 for models purchased in 2023 and thereafter.
More resources and funding makes it “so much easier to own and operate an electric car,” Nance said.
Although, per Senate Bill 505, electric vehicle owners are required to pay an annual $200 fee when they register or renew their car’s registration, intended to make up for the lost gasoline tax revenue that would have been paid by a fuel-powered vehicle. While some Fort Worth EV owners displayed skepticism about these fees at last year’s NDEW event, this hasn’t impeded prospective drivers.
“I think nobody wants to pay any fee, right? But the Texas fees are similar to other states,” Nance said.
She compared the $200 Texas fee to California’s, where electric vehicle drivers are required to pay $100 upon registration. That fee could increase annually to account for inflation, according to the state’s vehicle code.
“That has not necessarily slowed any adoption in [electric vehicles]; we haven’t seen any impact thus far,” said Nance. “Clearly, we’re still growing every year and that hasn’t been affected.”
As for the drivers who are hesitant about migrating to electric, their opinions may not be easily swayed, depending on how they use their cars, Nance added. Limited charging stations in rural areas act as a roadblock for those who regularly go on road trips, encouraging car owners to keep gas-powered vehicles.
“Maybe they just love their gasoline vehicle … but we really feel like once somebody gets in the [electric] car and they get to drive it, they get to see how it works, then that really tends to help them kind of overcome that,” Nance said.
The council expects to have about 90 different community members who own electric vehicles at the event to discuss their experiences with interested drivers.
With test driving and several models to show, the council finds the NDEW a perfect opportunity to answer people’s questions and clear up any concerns they have about driving electric.
“If you’re somebody who’s not sure, come out, get in the vehicle, and talk to our staff ,” Nance said.
For more information about the event or to RSVP, visit the DFW National Drive Electric Week website.
Nicole Lopez is the environmental reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.
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