The people buying electric cars aren't the ones who live where the power grid is greenest. The environmental impact is totally backwards.
March 27, 2026
Original Paper
Misconceptions Around EV Technology
SSRN · 6467404
The Takeaway
You would expect EV adoption to be highest in places where the environmental impact is greatest or the grid is cleanest. However, states like Mississippi have clean grids but adoption rates as low as coal-heavy states, proving that cultural narratives and political identity are far more influential than technical or environmental readiness.
From the abstract
Despite EV technology's viability, persistent misconceptions impede adoption and shape policy debates. This study quantitatively evaluates four myths: climate impact, infrastructure, grid resilience, and safety. Using a 40% coal-generation benchmark, the analysis shows EV adoption correlates more strongly with political resistance than technical constraints; states with clean grids, like Mississippi, report adoption rates as low as coal-heavy counterparts.Furthermore, the National Electric