My Take: Delaware's 1st place EV ranking

 Delaware ranks first its blend of  battery-electric vehicles (EVs) and charging systems, according to the third annual report from HERE Technologies, a Netherlands-based company.

The ranking analyzes data on the percentage of EV sales and leases, as well as the availability of public  charging systems. Delaware has a lower percentage of EVs on the road than California or New Jersey. The availability of public chargers offsets that.

The study comes as something of a  surprise, given the long-standing concerns over a lack of chargers here and elsewhere,.

The HERE study notes that Delaware, thanks to its Northeast Corridor location, has a sizable percentage of high-speed chargers.

Convenience store chain Wawa has been aggressive in adding high-speed Tesla Superchargers at locations around the state. Adapters now allow the chargers to be used with Ford, GM, Hyundai, and other EVs.

Delaware also has one of the ten lowest public charging rates in the nation, according to AAA.

The report also took note of the First State's  "generous state and federal

rebates of up to $10,000." Much of that subsidy will disappear this month under legislation signed by President Trump.

Another small incentive being eliminated is the registration fee used for the transportation budget in place of the fuel tax. Delaware was a holdout in not charging the fee.

 Whether Delaware will retain its first-place ranking remains unclear, as other states are catching up in terms of charging infrastructure.

This year's study included a survey of drivers in the US and Europe. In the US, current owners of internal combustion engine vehicles are the most resistant to switching to electric, with 57% planning to choose ICE vehicles for their next purchase or lease. Europeans were more prone to buy an EV.

At the same time, only 5% of current  US drivers of EVs plan to switch back to gas-powered vehicles.

The reduction of incentives, which has also occurred in Europe,  will lead automakers to focus on less expensive EVS,  which are seeing stronger demand.

The gap between the cost of EVs and ICE vehicles has already been sharply reduced, even without incentives.

A final note: With the federal tax credit set to expire, dealers are offering low-interest-rate loans and lease incentives to clear their vehicle inventories.  Click here for the study. - Doug Rainey, chief content officer.