A lot of progress has been made in the electric vehicle space over the last 10 years. There were very few models of battery electric cars to choose from in many countries around the world 10 years ago. Charging networks were also not as widespread as they are now in many countries. Modern electric cars now have much more range and can also charge much faster than 10 years ago. The increased variety of all-electric cars that people can choose from, increased production by OEMs and subsequent reductions in retail prices and/or the availability of more affordable models that allow more people to buy an electric car, the range also improved as greatly improved charging networks have all contributed to the increase in electric vehicle sales over the past two years.
Record sales figures for electric vehicles have been reported in several major markets recently, and the market share of electric vehicles in those markets is growing all the time. In Norway, July’s combined share of 83.0% was made up of 70.7% battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 12.3% plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). In China, the electric car market accounted for 28% of car sales in June! Germany, Europe’s largest car market, saw plug-in electric vehicles take a 25.5% share in July. Globally, June saw a new record for electric vehicle sales in a single month with BEVs accounting for 12% of the global market.
Things have been a little slower in the US. However, the US recently reached a milestone in EV penetration. 5% of new car sales in the US are now powered by electric power alone. According to Bloomberg, “Once 5% of new car sales are fully electric, everything changes.” That was after of Bloomberg analysis of the 19 countries that have made the EV pivot. Everything will change, and electric cars will soon be everywhere, so much so that we won’t call them electric cars anymore – they’ll be so normal they’ll just be called cars!
Although the US appears to be moving much more slowly than other markets, much has changed over the past 10 years. I remember the first time I visited the USA in June 2013. I spent some time in Seattle and also in the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco and Richland) in Washington state. During my stay, I didn’t see many electric cars. One had to really look for some. A few weeks ago, I got to spend some time in Washington DC, Manhattan and New Jersey. The opposite side of the country, but still the progress is clear. Electric cars everywhere! I didn’t even have to ask them. Everywhere I went, I randomly bumped into electric cars. Lots of Teslas, I mean lots of Teslas! They looked like Toyota Corollas or Honda Civics because they were everywhere. Model Ys, Model 3s, Model Xs and Model Ss. I even saw a number of new Tesla Model S Plaids. In Manhattan, I saw a number of Model 3s used as part of the famous Yellow Cabs. I have also seen many Model Y’s that are part of Revel’s fleet. Other EVs I spotted were quite a few Kia e-Niros, Ford Mustang Mach Es and a few VW ID.4s.
I haven’t been to Norway, but I’m just imagining what it would be like to have a walk through the streets of major cities in Norway. If electric cars seem to be “everywhere” in Manhattan, New Jersey and DC, a country with lower penetration rates, then driving down the road in Norway must be a thing of beauty. So much progress has been made over the last 10 years. The next 10 years will be much better. Electric cars can literally be anywhere, and they’ll just be called cars.
Images from Remeredzai
Do you value CleanTechnica’s originality and cleantech news coverage? Consider becoming a CleanTechnica Member, Supporter, Tech or Ambassador – or a patron on Patreon.
Don’t want to miss a clean tech story? Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica by email. Or follow us on Google News!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise, or want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.