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Electric Vehicle Sales On The Rise In The United States

Electric vehicle sales increased by more than 250 percent year-over-year in Q2 2021, according to data compiled by Cox Automotive.

Electric vehicle sales grew from 33,312 units in Q2 2020 to 118,233 units in Q2 2021 – an increase of 254.9 percent. This large disparity was partially driven by lower-than-usual vehicles sales last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that’s not to say that EV sales aren’t actually on the up-and-up Cox Automotive says new offerings like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and VW ID.4 are helping to drive EV sales this year, while heavy incentives on the outgoing 2020 model year Chevy Bolt EV have also helped to inspire consumers to make the switch.

Additionally, Cox Automotive found 30 percent of consumers either “extremely or very likely” to consider an EV for their next vehicle purchase. The consumer research agency says EV consideration “is typically in the 5 percent to 7 percent range,” and that high gas prices are convincing more motorists to buy an EV for their next vehicle. Demand for gasoline is also at a record high, Cox Automotive also said, with prices rising 40 percent from the beginning of the year.

Electrified vehicles, which include hybrids and plug-ins as well as pure EVs, accounted for 376,261 sales in Q1 2021, which is 8.53 percent of the 4,412,737 vehicles sold in the U.S. during that time. Of those, 258,028 vehicles were hybrid or plug-in hybrid – meaning that HEV and PHEV sales are still outpacing EV sales by a significant margin. Cox Automotive expects this to remain the case for the coming years, although it predicts pure EVs will eventually come to take over the market.

“The electrified market is still dominated by hybrids and plug-ins, but all the automaker rhetoric today is about future EVs,” the company said. “The progress may be slow, but the path is set.”

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Comments

  1. Get more EV choices out there and it will be rising much faster, choice is the only thing stopping Ev sales from blowing up…

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    1. how about price and convienence? fix those two things and govts wouldn’t have to mandate these vehicles.

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      1. I think current EV’s are priced ok, when you factor full cost of ownership. Right now you pay a slightly premium price for a premium experience.

        EV’s will be cheaper in the future, just takes some scale to get the cost down.

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        1. When the governments figure out how to tax an EV to extract revenue to fix the road, the cost to charge an EV will be just as much as the cost to fill up an equivalent gasoline tank.

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          1. Tigger you are too late with your comment. In the state of Ohio I have to pay $200 bucks annually for the privilege of EV ownership. The reasoning is to make up the difference in the amount of gasoline tax that my car will not generate. However, I only drive less than 6,000miles annually in my 2019 Bolt. To make up the actual difference I need to drive around 27,000 miles yearly.

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    2. Donavan: I agree and would add this: Making the EV’s look more normal instead of looking stupid like so many have been thus far. There is absolutely no reason to force people to take some ridiculous looking vehicle only because they want to go all electric. A good example of this is the Volvo XC40. Other than the filled in body color grille, you can’t tell the difference from the gas XC40. Another will be the new Ford F150 all electric. Apparently Mazda didn’t get the memo, as they are introducing their first all electric this fall (CA only) and it’s this stupid/odd styling without 4 full doors. Then they will scratch their heads when it doesn’t sell well.

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      1. Dan: I completely agree! In my opinion, they should have an electric option for a variety of already available models. Just blackout the grille insert or something. I understand the electric vehicles use a different platform than ICE, but the body is just a shell.

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      2. @Dan, agree completely, cosmetics are part of choice that we need, also capabilities. GM is doing great with the Hummer, and the Lyriq as they are both good looking vehicles going into empty segments.

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    3. @Donavan
      I agree with you but I will say that DC Fast Charging is not up to par as of yet. Unless you drive a Tesla your DC Fast Charging is a little lacking right now. But if reports are to be believed, lots more work is being done on Public charging so we shall see.

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      1. I disagree, I own 2 EV’s, one Tesla and one other, I never have trouble finding chargers for either of them. actually on the west coast Electrify American has more options than Tesla already, and Electrify America is accelerating their rollout these days, new ones opening in my area all the time, Also EA stations all have 150 kW ability and many have 350 kW capability, Tesla has quite a few stations that only output 72 kW, which is a bummer, I have been stuck at those a few times, SLOW… In the state I live in Tesla only has 6- 250kW locations, 18 – 120-150kw and 8- 72kW. Electrify America has 44 locations operating, and another 9 under construction that show on Plugshare.

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        1. @Donavan
          I live in the Midwest and EA is almost non existent here. I hope that between them, EVGo, and Charge Point we will get the infrastructure built out quickly. I heard that EA is going to double their Stations within a couple of years.We need others to follow as well.

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          1. I see, the midwest is more challenging for EV charging, even Tesla has many routes and locations under serviced, but I agree with you, in the Midwest Tesla has the best coverage currently. On the west coast its a tossup between Tesla and EA right now, EA is better in and around the cities, and Tesla is better on more obscure highway routes.

            We definitely need more charger investment, and stations need to be maintained better. I would like to see GM Ford and Rivian invest into EA, as then they could build out some obscure routes that will not be served from VW anytime soon.

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            1. Totally agree

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  2. It’s only the beginning! As fearmongering of anti-propagandists defeated average joes more and more gonna flock to EVs. The adaptation, like every other revolutionary tech, will follow an s-curve, once the threshold passed it will be no longer make sense owning a gas car, then it’s gonna skyrocket to 100%.

    Reply
    1. @Slider
      It is exactly what I have been trying to explain to everyone for a couple of years.
      I love my car but I am the first to admit that todays EV choices are not for everyone yet. There are still edge cases that EV’s are not quite there yet. Getting very close though. The biggest Hurdle to me is the lack of Public Charging infrastructure in the US. Unless you drive a Tesla you currently do not have a really substantial DC Fast Charging solution across the country unfortunately. It is just not up to par yet. Once that catches up then EV’s really will skyrocket in sales. I also think that every Automaker has to get to at least 300 kWh DC Fast Charging ASAP so we could charge from 20% to 80% in like 15 minutes. Then down the road we can get to 500 kWh charging and that will be less than 10 minutes most likely. It will get there. But hopefully sooner rather than later.
      And I think one thing that can make EV’s skyrocket even faster is if somehow GM, Ford, Rivian, and Tesla have figured out how to tow in their EV Trucks and NOT lose dramatic range. If that happens, it will most likely be the death nail for most ICE vehicles.

      Reply
      1. Sorry, unless I can charge an EV in just as little as time- or less- as I can fill up the tank to my ICE vehicle, I have zero interest.

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    2. Dream on…

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  3. The ICE will still carry on well into the decade. The manufacturers are waiting to see if Old Joe and Co. Is out the door for ’22 and ’24 before further commitments.

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    1. @Guestt
      Not to get into a Political back and forth, I do not think it matters who wins in 2024 as far as EV’s are concerned.
      China and Europe have already spoken and are shifting already at a much quicker pace than our Automakers are. From a Business perspective, you cannot have Chrysler, Ford, and GM splitting their R&D money into two completely different Propulsion systems while all of their competitors will be working on BEV’s for the most part. That will destroy our Big Three. I think the ink has already dried and all are making the shift. Obviously some slower than others. Once the General public figures out just how much cheaper it is to own an EV, it will be Game over naturally anyways.

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      1. I’m totally not against EVs, just the pace of it this decade will be decided heavily by the ’22-’24 US elections. One faction of a political party wants to go Nazigreen and the tech to make it happen isn’t there or it’s polarizing. GM sees the writing as they getting their program off the ground so as said they won’t be caught off guard if ICE gives way to EVs.

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    2. I would say ICE will carry on well into the century.

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      1. For Sure, BEV’s are great, but do not have the capability for everybody yet. ICE is here for the long term, especially in heavy vehicle and long distances. I mean Tesla unveiled their Semi in 2017 that was going to change trucking, and yet 4 years later not 1 have been delivered, and Tesla has not even put any in service daily in their own fleet. They typically dust one off and show it towing a trailer when they need a stock boost, but that is the only time…

        Reply
  4. Drop the prices 10k and offer free installation of quick chargers to all customers.

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  5. Waiting for the pick ‘em up that I want and I’ll bet a few others do to out here in the hinterland.

    $22,000 OUT THE DOOR direct from manufacturer. Tired of the games.

    450 miles range to compensate for living 80 miles from a Home Depot, weather, load, keeping SOC under 90% and above 10% for battery longevity,

    11″ ground clearance and steep departure and approach angles (front and rear overhang like a jeep or bronco).

    No frills except for a real locking 4×4 (NOT awd.)

    Wade through 2 feet of water.

    0-6- in under 6 sec.

    Super headlights to spot the pigs crossing the dirt road at night.

    FULL SIZE SPARE AND WHEEL

    Reply
  6. It is not hard to see an increase in electric vehicle sales when you sell such a minuscule percent of cars. if you only sold one and then you sold 2 that is automatically a 50 percent increase. It will be Tesla and their cult following, and the producers of trucks, and off-road capable vehicles that will increase sales, everything else will sell flat and possibly be a disaster in the marketplace. People don’t realize this but electric vehicles especially those that may be desirable are nothing more than overpriced play toys for those with money. Rolling smartphones and pads on wheels.

    Reply
    1. Once you get your elementary school math right you will taken seriously.

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  7. One of the things that came up this morning for me as I was coming to work is how aggressive different drivers are. Now, please don’t take this as a “blanket” statement about all drivers of certain vehicles. Of course, you will find overly slow drivers as well as very aggressive drivers in any/all brands. With that said…..

    One of the things I notice and watch while walking along the streets or driving, is how fast and/or aggressively drivers are. I must say that electric vehicles seem to now drive faster and more aggressively than in the past. Of these electric vehicles, it seems (to me) that Tesla drivers have now become the most aggressive of all. Seems funny to say this, but I’d rate the Prius drivers a close second! Is it that they are not burning gas or that they are burning less, so they feel they can be more stupid in how they drive? I don’t know, but it’s at a point where I see a Tesla coming toward me in either direction, and I try my best to clear out of their way.

    I just hope this is not a trend that increases as more and more electric vehicles get on the road.

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  8. As the charging infrastructure and home charging become more common, the batteries improve, (less weight, faster charging, greater mileage, lower cost) and cost for a commuter car (like small compacts or crossovers) becomes comparable to an ICE car, I think more people will be glad to have an EV. Very small percentage of daily car use is over 50 miles a day. Most folks often only drive 10 miles each day. Human nature has changed cars from an appliance into a lifestyle statement. Hard for most folks to imagine, but eventually cars (transportation devices) will be just a method for getting from A to B, not a testosterone enhancement device.

    Reply

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