Jonathon Berman, jonathon.berman@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- Electric vehicle sales skyrocketed in the United States in 2018, making up 6% of passenger car sales in 2018 and increasing 80.81% from 2017 numbers. This comes on top of the fact that the one millionth electric vehicle was sold in the United States back in October.
The market share of electric vehicles built steadily over 2018, with American consumers purchasing 361,307 throughout the year, compared to 199,826 in 2017, according to InsideEVs, an industry EV tracking site. In 2018, electric vehicle sales -both full electric and plug-in hybrids- comprised 2.08% of all light duty vehicle purchases, compared to only 1.16% in 2017, nearly doubling the market share over the past year. Moreover, December 2018 was the most successful month for electric vehicle sales to date, with 49,900 sold across the U.S., a 3.04% share of all light duty vehicle sales and nearly a whopping 10% of passenger car sales for that month.
With a strong fourth quarter surge, Tesla Model 3 sales made up about half of the total December EV sales, but there are now more than 35 different EV models for sale in the United States at various price points, including sedans, SUVs, sports cars, and minivans.
In response, director of the Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign Gina Coplon-Newfield released the following statement:
“We’re thrilled to see such a significant increase in Americans choosing electric vehicles as a cleaner alternative to conventional cars that is cheaper to fuel and -as many EV drivers including me would argue- more fun to drive. As EVs become an increasingly accessible option and the infrastructure improves to accommodate them, and as many Americans look to slash their transportation emissions footprint, we can expect to see EV sales skyrocket at an even steeper pace moving forward.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.