TEXAS — The growing number of electric vehicles (EVs) created a huge demand for more charging stations to support the industry in Texas and around the country. Propelled by the war with Iran, a sudden rise in gas prices has some Texans reconsidering whether driving an EV is worth it. Experts provided an update on the state of EVs and infrastructure in the state and what we can expect up the road.
Electric vehicle drivers in the Houston Heights area, just a few miles from downtown, say they like the convenience of the Shell Recharge Hub near I-10 in that area.
“They’re fast. The charging doesn’t take much time,” said Alex Martin, a Heights resident. “Whenever we go away from the area, it’s difficult to find some, and maybe there’s one or two stations, and those are usually busy.”
Willowbrook-area resident Salma Badillo frequently travels through the Heights area.
“It does take me a while to find a charging station. I found this one, and it’s close to my Pilates studio, which is, that’s why it’s good for me,” she said.
Evolve Houston, a non-partisan nonprofit, promotes the adoption of EVs to improve air quality.
“We help the region invest in infrastructure that actually gets used,” said Casey Brown, the president and executive director of Evolve Houston.
Brown said they look into which charging stations are required, where to put them and who will pay for them.
“We get the right players in the room to make real change, and that’s good for every neighborhood,” Brown said.
“In Houston, demand is growing, and it’s not linear. Year over year, demand for electric vehicles continues to increase, but charging is the bigger story here,” Brown said, adding there aren’t enough charging stations to meet the growing demand.
Auto industry insiders like Cox Automotive say the third quarter of 2025 saw a boost in U.S. EV sales, adding to the push for more infrastructure nationwide. Then, came the Trump administration and dealer cuts in incentives in early 2026, which are part of Trump’s plan to scale back on government spending and promote consumer’s choice in buying gas and electric vehicles.
“2026 is gonna be a year of adjustment, trying to figure out what that natural demand is, so we expected that new sales were going to be down,” said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Cox Automotive’s director of industry insights.
Their April data showed new EV sales were down by 6% and by 23% year-over-year.
“We’re starting to see an increase in used EVs, and a lot of it has to do a lot with the price point, the diversity of the product,” Streaty said.
Experts agree the demand for EVs and infrastructure is still there.
“You’ll see ups and downs, whether it’s incentives or pricing, etc., but what we do know is the long view is moving,” said Brown.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the number of Texans registered to drive electric vehicles more than tripled to nearly 457,000 between 2022 and 2025, creating more demand for more EV charging stations. TxDOT says Texas sees an additional 1,500 EVs on the road each week, and the state has over 4,300 charging stations, with plans to build 300 more in 2026 funded by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program.
“We have over, close to 80,000 charging stations, 250,000 ports,” said Streaty, regarding the U.S. numbers. “In Texas, you guys are kind of the leaders in fast charging, a huge increase in that last year.”
“We’re excited to take what we’ve done here in Houston, and what we’re building here in Houston and be able to share that with other Texans in the state,” Brown said.
He says that includes building the workforce needed for future growth.
“If you look at the rest of the world, I think the future’s electric. The timeline’s shifting. It’s gonna take the U.S. a lot longer, but I think we’re getting there, very slowly,” Streaty said.