More people are buying EVs in Southeast, while industry investments and jobs lag

Georgia is among the Southeastern states leading in sales, according to regional industry report

War In Iran's Impact On Gas Prices Drives Interest In Electric Vehicles MONROVIA, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: In an aerial view, an electric vehicle charges at an EVgo electric charger on March 30, 2026, in Monrovia, California. As gas prices surge amid the war in Iran, online automotive resource Edmunds reported a 22% increase in searches for electric vehicles during the week of March 2, as motorists look for ways to avoid high fuel costs. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

By WSBTV.com News Staff

The Southeast surpassed 1 million cumulative electric vehicle sales, reaching 1,137,170 as of June 30 with new passenger EV sales rising 25% year over year.

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At the same time, regional EV manufacturing investments and job growth experienced a downturn for the first time in seven years, according to a new regional industry report.

The findings are detailed in the seventh annual “Transportation Electrification in the Southeast” report, published jointly by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Atlas Public Policy.

The report evaluates six key market indicators across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

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Despite the recent dip in growth, the Southeast continues to lead the nation in clean vehicle manufacturing. The region accounts for 40% of national EV and battery manufacturing investment and 32% of national EV-related jobs.

Georgia leads the six-state region in jobs, with more than 24,000 jobs, the report said.

The report attributed the 12-month decline in new investment and job announcements to market consolidation, heightened corporate competition and political uncertainty stemming from federal policy shifts.

Electric vehicle adoption rates varied significantly across the region. Florida, Georgia and North Carolina led the Southeast in total sales and market share, while Tennessee, South Carolina and Alabama lagged behind.

While new passenger EV sales increased 25% from July 2025 through June 2026, commercial EV sales in the region fell 28% over the same period.

The report noted that regional EV sales stagnated during the fourth quarter of 2025 and first quarter of 2026. This slowdown followed the expiration of federal tax credits for new and used EVs in September 2025, which had prompted a record number of consumer purchases in the third quarter of 2025 and pulled demand forward.

Sales of used electric vehicles expanded rapidly, growing 34% over the past 12 months. That growth was driven by roughly 228,000 expired vehicle leases, with another 1 million EV leases expected to end over the next 18 months.

Charging infrastructure across the region expanded alongside consumer sales. Fast-charger deployment along highway corridors grew 28%, with the Southeast adding an average of 133 new public charging stations each month. Additionally, regional investor-owned utilities increased EV-related investments by 14% year over year, though per-customer spending remains below national averages.

The report also cited external economic factors influencing regional demand, noting that a sharp rise in oil prices following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz in February 2026 contributed to increased consumer interest in electric vehicles.

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