Image by Blomst from Pixabay

Though they might be hard to hear, motorists might have seen more Tesla automobiles on Fresno roads.

iSeeCars.com’s latest study, “The Most and Least Driven Electric Cars,” identifies which 3-year old electric vehicles (EVs) are driven the most in the top 50 US markets. The study shows that Tesla vehicles took the top three places for the most driven EVs in Fresno.

The study found that the average 3-year-old EV in Fresno is driven 8,937 miles per year, while gas-powered vehicles are driven 14,056 miles per year – meaning EVs are driven 36.4% less than gasoline cars in Fresno.

The most driven 3-year-old electric vehicles in Fresno are the Tesla Model X with 10,761 average miles driven per year, followed by the Tesla Model 3 average miles driven per year of 10,163, and ranking third is the Tesla Model S with an average miles driven per year of 9,782.

Teslas are the most-driven electric cars, with all four models ranking at the top of the list.

The Nissan LEAF ranked fourth with an average miles driven per year of 8,939, followed by the Chevrolet Bolt EV with an average miles driven per year of 8,918.

The Fresno 3-year-old EV average of miles driven per year is 8,937.

EV market share and use are both growing, but national numbers show EVs are driven 29% less than gas-powered vehicles on average, with range anxiety being a likely factor in the difference.

Three-year old EVs have an average price of $45,147 compared to 3-year-old conventional vehicles’ average costs of $30,760, meaning they cost 47% more than conventional vehicles, but are driven 29% less.

“Range anxiety is less about being stranded in the middle of nowhere and more about the ‘refueling’ process for electric vehicles,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars.com’s executive analyst. “In a gasoline car, regardless of how far you’re going, there are always plenty of refueling options and the process takes 5 to 10 minutes. Until EVs can offer that level of convenience at a comparable cost, they will be at a distinct disadvantage in terms of use and market demand.”