Electric vehicle (EV) registrations in Collier and Lee counties have surged by 30% over the past year, according to research firm IHS Markit.
Collier County saw registrations jump from 5,956 in 2023 to 7,742 in 2024, while Lee County’s numbers climbed from 7,095 to 9,245, according to the public data.
“I've always been a V8 or V-12 kind of guy, right? Lots of horsepower, lots of noise ... I drove one of these (Tesla) about five years ago, and I just couldn't get over all the power and smoothness that it had, minus no noise. I didn't think I would, but I fell in love with it," said Tom Miller, a Naples resident.
“I never have to go to the gas station. When I get home at night, I plug it in and I forget about it, and the next day I unplug it and I go ... It actually saves me a lot of time not having to go to the gas station, and there's no oil changes. So there's almost no maintenance to the car," added Miller, who is now on his 3rd Tesla.
Across Florida, there are approximately 300,000 EV registrations, with about 200,000 of those being fully electric, according to state data. The increase in EV adoption has also led to a rise in charging station installations, with Florida Power & Light (FPL) operating several locations across the region. Fast chargers can be found in Naples, Estero, and Fort Myers, while Level 2 chargers are more widely spread, including locations at Florida Gulf Coast University and various hotels.
“The issue we are seeing now is if you have a non-Tesla and you try to go to a Tesla station, there is no charging for you now,” said Michael Warren, the owner of Windermere Sustainable Car Care in Collier County.
Range anxiety also remains a factor in electric vehicle purchasing, especially when it comes to long-distance travel and unexpected charging station outages.
“You have to think about range because you're going to have range anxiety ... One time when I was over on the East Coast, I had to go to three different charging stations just to be able to charge," said Warren.
Despite the massive influx of vehicles, drivers remain optimistic about the future of EVs in Southwest Florida.
“You have to give it a try. Most of the naysayers are worrying about things that they don't really need to worry about ...Tesla seems to be staying ahead of the demand for the infrastructure," said Miller.