Electric vehicles are having their moment in the Golden State. Thanks to the California Air Resources Board, CA will be banning the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. This effort will be done in phases, starting with zero-emissions vehicles to represent 35% of new cars and trucks by 2026, then representing 68% four years later, and then reaching 100% by 2035. Nine states including, New Jersey and Maryland, have joined the Golden State’s gas-powered vehicles ban.
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According to the vehicle registration report from the California New Car Dealers Association, the first nine months of 2023 revealed 21.5% of cars sold in CA were electric. If you were to combine it with hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles (powered by hydrogen, emitting water vapor and warm air) that 21.5% would be 35.4%.
Thanks to the surge of EV sales during the first nine months of last year, gas-powered and diesel-powered vehicle sales accounted for over 9% less than in 2022. New ICE vehicle registrations made up 62.3% in 2023 compared to 71.6% in 2022.
SEE ALSO: CALIFORNIA EVS TO FOLLOW STANDARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM BY 2026
California is way ahead of the rest of the U.S. in electric vehicle adoption. As battery-powered vehicles account for only 7.4% of the overall American market. Tesla’s Model Y is the best-selling EV in CA (106,398 units sold last year), followed by the Model 3 (66,698 units sold in 2023). Tesla accounted for 62.9% of the EV market in 2023. Tesla’s sales increased by 38.5% in the Golden State last year.
The Chevrolet Bolt battery electric vehicle made up the third top-selling in EV in CA, with 15,151 registrations. The plug-in hybrid electric Jeep Wrangler was next on the top-selling list in California with just a little 10,000 vehicle registrations, followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford Mustang Mach E.
The Tesla Model S EV had the least registrations last year with just a little over 3,000 registrations. Automotive had a good year in 2023 overall as registrations grew more than 20% for 12 automotive brands including Rivian, Buick, Tesla, Honda, Audi, and Acura. The most popular automakers in CA last year were Toyota (highest market share), Tesla, Honda, Ford, and Chevrolet.
When it comes medium and heavy-duty vehicles including buses and trucks of over 14,000 pounds, California’s ban on ICE is extended to 2045 (where feasible). But large diesel truck sales are to be banned by 2036. The ban on gas-powered vehicles has affected car production as many automakers will soon only be manufacturing electric vehicles. General Motors for instance is set to stop producing gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Ford will be doing the same five years earlier. Honda by 2040. While Mercedes-Benz has vowed to offer batter-electric versions of their entire lineup next year.
Are you ready to get behind the wheel of an EV?
