Mainers suddenly look at electric cars, at faster rate than anywhere in US
Courtesy / Martin Grohman
Martin Grohman, executive director of E2Tech, is an electric car enthusiast who drives a Model S Tesla with a trailer hitch. He is shown last year at Harris Farm in Dayton heading out to do some Nordic skiing.
Maine’s interest in electric vehicles is spiking, like the gasoline prices that may be driving the new trend.
A national study found that web searches about electric vehicles jumped by triple digits between Feb. 11 and March 11, and a 117% increase in Maine over a two-week period was the sharpest of any state’s.
Over the month, searches nationwide for information on electric vehicles increased 300% and for hybrid vehicle information, 257%, according to the Google Analytics review by insurance website QuoteWizard.
But only two states saw search interest grow over a fortnight at rates even close to Maine’s — South Carolina, at 110%, and Connecticut, 107%.
An index measuring the proportion of searches related to EVs also ranked Maine No. 5 among the states, behind California, Delaware, Washington and New Hampshire, from No. 1 to No. 4 respectively.
In addition, a comparison of U.S. cities ranked Portland No. 50 among those with the highest search index averages for EV info.
While QuoteWizard theorized that rising gas prices have led more Americans to learn about alternative-fuel cars, the reasons for Maine’s surge of interest may be more complicated.
“In Maine, we drive a lot farther, and we have longer commutes,” said Marty Grohman, executive director of E2Tech, a clean energy business development organization based in Biddeford. “And we watch prices.”
Besides simply the increasing cost of gasoline, the ups and downs at the pump may be a big factor. For self-sufficient Mainers, pondering changes in the world oil market, there may now be a greater sense of security in going electric.
“Your gas station is in your house,” Grohman said, referring to home charging of EVs. “And the price isn’t changing every 20 minutes.”
More charging stations for EVs are popping up around the state, he also noted. Tesla vehicles, one of the market leaders in EVs, are becoming more affordable and “seeing some runway” for sales growth in Maine.
That growth may also be driven by a global event that closely preceded the Russian oil boycott.
For the first time, four automakers spent millions of dollars on television ads promoting electric cars during the Super Bowl, played Feb. 13.
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Yet Maine makes buying a Tesla difficult. I had to buy my Tesla in NJ and ship it to Maine. State regulations would not allow me to buy it in MA.
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