While the U.S. is still the 2nd largest vehicle market (behind China)…Americans probably most known for their thirst for choice. Last year that thirst for choice produced a 25% increase in the number of EV models available to North American consumers.
Here are the 3 broad categories:
- Battery-Powered
- Plug-in Hybrid
- Fuel Cell Vehicle
The chart below shows the growth and changes in vehicle model mix available in the US and Canada for the past nine years. U.S. Consumers can now choose from 54 different electric car models, while in 2008, only four were available for purchase.
The number of car models with electric batteries, such as the Tesla Model S, continues to grow. But the biggest increase has been the availability of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which now account for the largest category of electric vehicles in North America.
You will find more infographics at Statista
The Agony of Few Choices
At the end of 2010, a meager 6 electric vehicle models (incl. plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles) were available to consumers in North America.
Here’s the latest from Bloomberg New Energy Finance for 2017 year end: 54 electric vehicle models…
- 25 battery electric vehicles
- 26 plug-in hybrids
- 3 fuel cell vehicles
Tesla, one of the very early movers in the market, is still the best-selling EV brand in the United States. In 2017, the company sold roughly 50,000 electric cars in the U.S., beating traditional carmakers like Chevrolet (43,669), Toyota (20,936), BMW (20,733) and Ford (19,589) by a significant margin.
Still accounting for little more than 1 percent of total passenger car sales, electric vehicles still have a long way to go in terms of mass adoption. However, the growing number of consumer choices combined with the steadily improving charging infrastructure will certain help move electric mobility forward.
