1.5 Million Electric Cars Here, Two Years Ahead of Schedule

Due to proper policy standards and optimal market conditions, California, the United States, now has 1.5 electric vehicles (EVs) on its roads two years ahead of schedule, a positive feat for the Golden State, whose goal is to have 100% of EVs by 2035.

“For the last decade, California has had a goal to reach 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2025,” states energy commission chair David Hochschild. “Now this goal has been surpassed nearly two years early, which is an important milestone on the journey to finally bringing clean electric transportation mainstream.”

A total of 1.52 million electric vehicles – battery-electric, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles – have been purchased in the first quarter of 2023. Conditions are optimal for consumers to buy zero-emission vehicles, with 115 makes and models of electric vehicles to choose from. The government is offering incentives, with rebates of up to $7,500, and building more charging stations. There are already 87,707 charging stations across the state, and the objective is to have 250,000 public and privately shared ones by 2025. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach its climate goals, California policymakers are investing $5 billion and boosting EV sales. At least 35% of model-year 2026 passenger vehicles should be zero-emission. That proportion will reach 68% in 2030 and 100% by 2035.