The electric vehicle (EV) market in the United States witnessed a substantial surge in 2023, with new electric light-duty vehicle sales soaring to approximately 1.4 million units, marking a notable increase from the previous year’s nearly 1 million sales as per a report by ICCT. This growth translated to a sales share of about 9% across the nation. The market’s expansion varied across different states, with some regions experiencing faster growth rates than others.
Key metrics pertaining to the growth of the electric vehicle market at the state level throughout 2023, including annual sales, sales shares, charging infrastructure deployment, state purchase incentives, and model availability, have been summarized in a comprehensive market spotlight.
Figure 1 illustrates the uptake of electric vehicles, charging infrastructure deployment, purchase incentives for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), and model availability across the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Notably, markets categorized as “ZEV states,” which have adopted California’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) regulations, displayed higher electric vehicle sales shares compared to non-ZEV states. The top markets with the highest EV sales shares were predominantly ZEV states, with California leading the pack.
Areas with significant EV sales shares also exhibited a higher concentration of public and workplace chargers. ZEV states, on average, boasted more chargers per million residents compared to non-ZEV states. Additionally, most ZEV states offered purchase incentives for BEVs, further driving the adoption of electric vehicles.
Figure 2 further explores the relationship between state-level model availability and EV uptake. States with a higher number of EV models tended to have higher EV sales and sales shares, with ZEV states boasting a greater number of available models on average compared to non-ZEV states.
While ZEV regulation adoption and EV model availability correlated closely with high EV sales, some exceptions were observed. Non-ZEV states like Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Illinois exhibited relatively high EV model availability, driven by their large LDV markets. However, overall, EV sales shares in ZEV states in 2023 outpaced those in non-ZEV states, underscoring the impact of regulatory frameworks on electric vehicle adoption.
California emerged as the frontrunner in EV market share, recording a remarkable 26.4% sales share in 2023. Excluding California, ZEV states collectively achieved a significantly higher EV sales share compared to non-ZEV states.
The surge in electric vehicle sales across the United States signals a promising trajectory towards a more sustainable transportation landscape, with renewables playing a pivotal role in driving this transformation.
