Zero-Emission Vehicles Sales Still Going Well In California

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The State of California has the most zero-emission vehicles in the US, and sales of this vehicle type are still doing well. Californians purchased just over 102,000 zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the first three months of 2024. Another fact is that the State of California is on track to reach a total of two million ZEVs soon.

Unsurprisingly, California also has the largest number of public EV charging stations, with more on the way.

In the American mainstream media and on social media there is a fair amount of information, including misinformation and disinformation, attempting to claim that EVs are in “decline” because of some “problems” that actually may not be problems. The fact that their sales remain strong in the state where they are most abundant refutes the misinformation.

If the sales of certain EV models are not doing as well, that is not all EVs. If their sales are not strong in Alabama, Kentucky, Wyoming, or the Dakotas, it doesn’t matter very much. What matters is the sales where the largest numbers are because they constitute the primary trend.

The California Energy Commission answered some questions about California ZEV sales for CleanTechnica.

California exceeded its zero-emission truck and vehicle sales goals two years ahead of schedule, and achieved its 10,000 fast EV chargers goal more than a year ahead of schedule. What made it possible for the state to be ahead of schedule for such goals?

Investments made through the CEC’s Clean Transportation Program (CTP) and a myriad of other publicly-funded efforts at the California Air Resources Board have helped put the state ahead of schedule. First created in 2007, the CTP is one of the first transportation-focused funding efforts established to help advance the state’s climate change policies. To date, $1.8 billion has been invested in projects supporting ZEV infrastructure, alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies. Another $1.9 billion was allocated earlier this year.

The state is also nearing the 2 million zero-emission vehicle mark — is there an estimate when that total will be reached?

The state expects to reach the 2 million ZEV vehicle mark by the end of the year or early next year.

Information about grants and rebates available for low-income Californians are at ClimateAction.ca.gov or ElectricForAll.org. Can you provide a snapshot of what those grants and rebates are?

We recommend contacting the California Air Resources Board for information regarding ZEV vehicle incentives and grants. Their media office can be reached at comms@arb.ca.gov.

105,000 public or shared private electric vehicle chargers have been installed throughout California, which is on top of over 500,000 at-home chargers. About how many more public EV chargers will be installed in California in the next 5 years? 10?

Please view the latest AB 2127 assessment for more information. Please note that this report is projecting need, not the actual build-out. The funds approved in the latest CTP Investment Plan Update will result in 40,000 new chargers statewide.

Is the Governor’s executive order from 2020 calling for a rule to require all new car sales to be zero-emission by 2035 still in effect?

Yes.