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Last updated: January 16, 2026

2026 Electric Vehicle Statistics

Global EV ownership has surged 61 percent year-over-year since 2011, with Chinese manufacturer BYD topping Tesla's sales for the first time in 2025, and the Tesla Model Y remaining the best-selling EV. China dominates charging infrastructure, housing two-thirds of the world’s charging stations, while California leads the U.S. in EV adoption — but struggles with a low charger-to-EV ratio.

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Electric vehicles (EVs) have become increasingly popular since the launch of the Tesla Model S in 2012, not only in the United States but also around the world. California has the highest number of registered EVs in the U.S., and BYD is currently the largest EV manufacturer in the world, surpassing Tesla as of 2025.

While electric vehicle sales have continued to increase worldwide throughout 2024 and 2025, the rate of growth has slowed in the U.S., a trend that is expected to last through 2026, due in part to expiring EV subsidies and an uncertain tariff environment. In addition, a lack of charging stations still poses challenges for long-distance travel with EVs in the U.S. In this article, we’ll share the most recent EV industry statistics you need to know.

Key Findings

  • Between 2011 and 2024, EV ownership worldwide has increased by an average of 61 percent year-over-year.
  • BYD’s electric vehicle sales overtook Tesla’s for the first time ever in 2025, though the Tesla Model Y was the most popular EV model.
  • An increase in EV popularity has led to a decreased demand for oil and an increased demand for batteries.
  • China’s EV infrastructure is some of the most advanced, and its number of charging stations accounts for about two-thirds of the world’s total.
  • In the U.S., California has the highest number of EVs as well as charging stations and outlets. However, it has one of the lowest ratios of charging outlets to EVs.

New to the world of EVs? Check out our handy guide to the most common abbreviations.

AcronymWhat it stands forWhat they produceIncludes
ZEVsZero-emission vehiclesNo tailpipe emissions of pollutants or greenhouse gasesSome PHEVs, BEVs, and FCEVs
EVsElectric vehiclesDepends on typePHEVs and BEVs
BEVsBattery electric vehiclesNo tailpipe emissions of pollutants or greenhouse gasesN/A
PHEVs or HEVsPlug-in hybrid electric vehicles or hybrid electric vehiclesDepends on what fuel it’s usingN/A
FCEVsFuel cell electric vehicleWater vaporN/A
ICEsInternal combustion enginesTailpipe emissionsGas powered cars

Electric Car Sales

Number of Electric Vehicles Sold in Car Markets Worldwide

In 2023, there were a total of 14 million EV registrations, up 35 percent from 2022.1 Almost 60 million EVs were sold between 2013 and 2024, with yearly sales increasing by more than 8,600 percent over that period.2 On average, EV sales have increased worldwide by 96 percent per year since 2010, with the largest recent increase occurring between 2010 and 2011, when 558 percent more EVs were sold in the latter year.

DID YOU KNOW?

In 2011, EV sales surged largely due to the launch of popular new models like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt, which made EVs more accessible and practical for everyday drivers. Additionally, government incentives and a growing interest in environmentally friendly transportation boosted consumer demand, marking a turning point for the EV market.

Number of EVs Sold Worldwide by Year

Since 2011, EVs have grown significantly in popularity in the U.S. and the rest of the world. Between 2011 and 2024, there was a 35,614 percent increase in the number of EVs and plug-in hybrids sold worldwide, according to the nonprofit project Our World in Data. In the same time frame, the number of EVs in China alone increased by 220,603 percent. Robust data for India is not available before 2019, but since then, the number of EVs sold has increased by 13,305 percent.

YearWorldwideChina European Union (27 countries)IndiaU.S.
201149,0005,1207,46017,763
2012118,0009,86019,50053,171
2013201,00015,73045,00097,102
2014330,00073,00057,000118,882
2015520,000211,00092,000114,072
2016780,000339,000140,000159,616
20171,200,000580,000184,000195,675
20182,050,0001,090,000250,000330,945
20192,080,0001,060,000390,000687319,613
20202,970,0001,140,0001,050,0003,143307,589
20216,600,0003,250,0001,760,00012,050635,591
202210,200,0005,900,0001,980,00048,023931,393
202313,700,0008,100,0002,420,00082,2701,456,484
202417,500,00011,300,0002,270,00092,0951,569,430

The U.S. Electric Car Market by Year

From 2011 to 2024, total EV sales in the U.S. increased from 17,763 to 1,569,430, with an average year-over-year increase of 49 percent.3

During this timeframe, EV sales decreased year-over-year only three times: between 2014 and 2015, between 2018 and 2019, and again between 2019 and 2020. Even so, the decrease was never more than 4 percent. Notably, the number of EVs sold grew by only 8 percent in 2024 compared to 2023, and growth is expected to continue to slow as subsidies expire and policymakers deprioritize environmental regulations.

YearNumber of EVs sold in the U.S. Percent change
201117,763N/A
201253,171199%
201397,10283%
2014118,88222%
2015114,072-4%
2016159,61640%
2017195,67523%
2018330,94569%
2019319,613-3%
2020307,589-4%
2021635,591107%
2022931,39347%
20231,456,48456%
20241,569,4308%

States With the Most EVs Registered

California has the highest number of EVs registered, making up 35 percent of all registered EV vehicles in the U.S.4 California’s population is a factor in the Golden State’s outsized representation of EVs, but, as of 2023, California only held 14 percent of all private and commercial vehicle registrations in the country, meaning it still has a disproportionately high share of EV registrations compared to its total vehicle market share in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Florida has a proportional representation of EVs per registered vehicle, accounting for around 7 percent of both EVs registered and the total number of vehicles registered, according to Federal Highway Administration data.5

StateEV registrations as of September 2024Percentage of U.S. total
California1,256,64635%
Florida254,8787%
Texas230,1256%
Washington152,1014%
New Jersey134,7534%
New York131,2504%
Illinois99,5733%
Georgia92,3683%
Colorado90,0833%
Arizona89,7983%
Virginia84,9362%
Massachusetts73,7682%
Maryland72,1392%
North Carolina70,1642%
Pennsylvania70,1542%
Oregon64,3612%
Ohio50,3931%
Michigan50,2841%
Nevada47,3611%
Utah39,9981%
Minnesota37,0501%
Tennessee33,221Less than 1%
Connecticut31,557Less than 1%
Missouri26,861Less than 1%
Indiana26,101Less than 1%
Hawaii25,565Less than 1%
Wisconsin24,943Less than 1%
Oklahoma22,843Less than 1%
South Carolina20,873Less than 1%
Alabama13,047Less than 1%
Kentucky11,617Less than 1%
Kansas11,271Less than 1%
New Mexico10,276Less than 1%
New Hampshire9,861Less than 1%
Iowa9,031Less than 1%
Idaho8,501Less than 1%
Delaware8,435Less than 1%
Louisiana8,150Less than 1%
Washington, D.C.8,066Less than 1%
Vermont7,816Less than 1%
Maine7,377Less than 1%
Arkansas7,108Less than 1%
Nebraska6,920Less than 1%
Rhode Island6,396Less than 1%
Montana4,608Less than 1%
Mississippi3,590Less than 1%
West Virginia2,758Less than 1%
Alaska2,697Less than 1%
South Dakota1,675Less than 1%
Wyoming1,139Less than 1%
North Dakota959Less than 1%

Part of the reason EVs are so popular in California is CARB ZEV, the Zero-Emission Vehicle Program from the California Air Resources Board’s Advanced Clean Car package. First adopted in 1990, the program aims to improve air quality and diminish the emissions of greenhouse gases by reducing the amount of smog-causing pollutants from passenger vehicles. Other states with high EV registration rates have since adopted this program too, such as New York and Massachusetts.6

Leading Electric Car Manufacturers

Tesla is no longer the most popular EV manufacturer in the world as of 2025.7 It sold 1.64 million cars worldwide, while BYD sold 2.26 million. However, by the end of 2023, BYD had already surpassed Tesla when taking into account both BEV and PHEV sales, with a market share of 22 percent compared to Tesla’s 13 percent.8

BrandNumber of EVs sold in 20249Percentage of the 2024 market share
BYD3,840,00022%
Tesla1,780,00010%
Wuling688,4154%
BMW535,5863%
Li Auto526,3533%
Geely458,4733%
Volkswagen454,6313%
Aito386,8172%
Mercedes Benz374,3112%
Aion373,9062%

The Most Popular Electric Car Models

The most-purchased all-EV worldwide in 2024 was once again the Tesla Model Y, which accounted for about 11 percent of all BEV sales in 2024. Although Tesla accounts for two of the top three best-selling EV models in 2024, BYD was the best-selling brand overall that year.10

VehicleNumber of sales in 2024Percentage of total EV sales in 2024
Tesla Model Y1,174,28311%
Tesla Model 3 529,1705%
BYD Seagull/Dolphin Mini472,7984%
BYD Yuan Plus/Atto 3339,6563%
Wuling Mini 261,1822%
BYD Dolphin217,0182%
Wuling Bingo215,7812%
Aion Y161,6862%
Volkswagen ID.3149,9191%
Changan Lumin145,4941%

The Future of Electric Cars

While the popularity of EVs continues to rise, growth is slowing, particularly in the U.S., as the Trump administration rolls back EV initiatives. For example, the previous federal EV subsidies, which included a $7,500 new vehicle credit and a $4,000 used vehicle credit, expired in September of 2025, removing a big incentive for consumers to purchase EVs. China, the world’s largest EV market, is also reducing certain EV subsidies.

BloombergNEF predicts that global EV sales in 2026 will still increase year-over-year from 2025, but that growth will be slower compared to the previous year.11 The growth will largely be driven by Europe and, to some extent, China. However, U.S. EV sales are expected to decrease by 15 percent.

The Trump administration has also blocked funding for two grant programs that were intended to provide for new EV infrastructure, prompting a lawsuit from 16 states and Washington, D.C.12 While EVs aren’t going anywhere, the outlook in the short term is uncertain due to the government’s active deprioritization of non-gas-powered cars. Things may look up in 2027, thanks to several automakers focusing on making much more affordable EVs, which will hopefully make them more accessible to more Americans.13

In terms of the number of sales worldwide, there are two different predictions for the future.

  • STEPS: The Stated Policies scenario is more conservative, assuming that the government will not reach all of its goals. It takes into account both existing policies and those under development and considers the direction of energy systems without direction from policymakers. STEPS is not designed to achieve a particular outcome, unlike APS below. However, STEPS still forecasts one in four vehicles on the road will be electric by 2035.
  • APS: The Announced Pledges Scenario, in contrast, assumes that the U.S.’s energy targets will be met in full by 2030, leading to higher sales of EVs.14

Demand for Oil

One result of increased EV adoption is oil displacement — decreased demand for oil. While one might assume that decreased demand would cause the price of oil to drop as the invisible hand of the market adjusts, Bloomberg predicts that prices will stay elevated and volatile with decreasing investments in a new supply of oil.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), from 2010 to 2024, EVs displaced 106.8 billion liters of gasoline-equivalent worldwide, and over 31 billion liters of gasoline-equivalent in the U.S. alone. Worldwide, the largest increase in oil displacement by percent between years occurred between 2010 and 2011, which correlates with the largest increase in EV sales worldwide.

Oil displacement in millions of lge (liters of gasoline-equivalent)ChinaEurope India U.SRest of the World
2010261104
201171833717
2012164038933
20133380326051
2014 81160449071
20152402804640100
2016 4904105830140
201792059061,100200
20181,80083071,700340
20192,6001,30072,200520
20203,0001,90092,500610
20215,8003,600204,000980
20229,6006,000726,2001,700
202319,0008,9001509,7003,200
202431,00010,00026012,0004,400

Increased Demand for Batteries

Another result of the growing EV market is an increased demand for EV batteries. According to the IEA, demand for battery power in the U.S. grew from 6 gigawatt hours per year to 110 gigawatt hours between 2016 and 2024, correlating with the increase in EV sales. China’s demand for batteries is the largest worldwide. As of 2024, its demand accounted for 59 percent of the global market demand for EV batteries.

By 2030, worldwide demand for batteries is projected to exceed three terawatt hours (3,000 gigawatt hours), depending on the implementation of emissions reduction policies, which is over three times higher than the demand for EV batteries in 2024.15

Global EV battery demand in gigawatt hours per yearChina Europe U.S.Rest of the world
2016 38563
2017 56883
20187012197
20197525199
2020 80541912
2021179933821
20223141297041
20234171609971
202449017011069

Publicly Available Charging Stations

One factor that limits EV sales is a lack of publicly available charging stations. Some people are concerned about taking EVs on road trips as there may not be enough charging stations on their route to support longer rides. As of August 2024, the U.S. government had allocated $521 million to continue developing fuel-alternative infrastructure throughout 29 states, including the installation of 9,200 EV charging stations.16 Despite the Trump administration blocking funding, the third quarter of 2025 saw the largest increase in high-speed charging station openings on record.17

By Country

As of 2024, China had the highest number of charging stations — 3.58 million, or two-thirds of the world’s total. Europe was second with 1.03 million stations, and the U.S. came third with 200,000, about 6 percent of China’s supply.18

That said, these numbers don’t account for the number of EVs or licensed drivers in the population, so they don’t reflect how many charging stations may be necessary. For example, in 2023 China had one charging station for every three EVs sold in the same year. Comparatively, the U.S. had seven charging stations for every EV sold.

CountryNumber of charging stations in 2024 
China 3,580,000
Europe1,030,000
USA 200,000
Rest of world630,000

By State

The table below shows the 10 leading states for the most charging ports. It also shows the total number of EVs in a given state as well as the number of charging points per EV.

StateTotal number of charging ports19Total number of EVs Number of EVs for every charging outlet
California62,2111,256,64620
New York 18,441131,2507
Florida 13,760254,87819
Texas11,777230,12520
Massachusetts10,23673,7687
Washington 7,593152,10120
Colorado6,70790,08313
Georgia7,10192,36813
North Carolina5,61370,16413
Pennsylvania 5,48070,15413

Along with the highest number of EV registrations, California has the highest number of charging stations and ports.

However, when you take into account the ratio of charging outlets to EVs, California comes in last, along with Texas and Washington, with 20 EVs per charging outlet. Florida also has a high number of EVs to outlet ratio, with 19 EVs per outlet. Massachusetts and New York have the best ratio on this list, with only 7 EVs per charging outlet. The data indicate that in California, Florida, Texas and Washington, EV infrastructure has not yet caught up with demand.

Car Insurance and EVs

If you’ve ever shopped for EV insurance, you may have noticed higher costs than you’d find when insuring non-EVs. Electric cars are more expensive to insure due to their specialized features and replacement parts, such as electric batteries. As a result, you may need to take them to specialized repair shops.

Conclusion

One thing the world can agree on is the rising popularity of EVs. No matter the country, sales are increasing year over year, and although some governments are deprioritizing investment in EVs, the world is still on track to increase EV adoption. Hopefully, this adoption will reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants, making the air more breathable for us all. Explore more auto insurance research like this for further insights.

Methodology

Our research term analyzed data from third-party sources, including the following:

  • Autovista Group, part of J.D. Power
  • Bloomberg
  • Business Insider
  • California Air Resources Board
  • Federal Highway Administration
  • International Energy Agency
  • Our World in Data
  • Reuters
  • The LA Times
  • The NY Times
  • U.S. Department of Energy
  • U.S. Department of Transportation

Sources

  1. Trends in electric car markets. International Energy Agency. (2026).
    https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2025/trends-in-electric-car-markets-2

  2. Tracking global data on electric vehicles. Our World In Data. (2026).
    https://ourworldindata.org/electric-car-sales

  3. Hybrid-Electric, Plug-in Hybrid-Electric and Electric Vehicle Sales. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. (2026).
    https://www.bts.gov/content/gasoline-hybrid-and-electric-vehicle-sales

  4. Electric Vehicle Registrations by State. U.S. Department of Energy. (2024, September).
    https://afdc.energy.gov/data/10962

  5. Highway Statistics Series. U.S. Department of Transportation- Federal Highway Administration. (2023).
    https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2023/mv1.cfm

  6. Zero-emission Vehicle Regulation. California Air Resources Board. (2026).
    https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/zero-emission-vehicle-program/about

  7. China’s BYD Surpasses Tesla as World Leader in Electric Car Sales. The New York Times. (2026, Jan 02).
    https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/business/tesla-electric-vehicles-fourth-quarter-sales.html

  8. What was the most popular EV worldwide in 2023?. EV Volumes. (2024, Feb 19).
    https://ev-volumes.com/news/ev/what-was-the-most-popular-ev-worldwide-in-2023/

  9. What are the global EV market’s most successful brands?. Autovista 24. (2025, Feb 25).
    https://autovista24.autovistagroup.com/news/what-are-the-global-ev-markets-most-successful-brands/

  10. What were the most popular electric vehicles in 2024?. Autovista 24. (2025, Feb 13).
    https://autovista24.autovistagroup.com/news/what-were-the-most-popular-electric-vehicles-in-2024/

  11. Electric Vehicles Have a Bumpy Road Ahead in 2026. Bloomberg. (2026, Jan 06).
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-01-06/electric-vehicles-have-a-bumpy-road-ahead-in-2026

  12. 16 US states sue federal government after Trump suspends EV charging programs. Reuters. (2025, Dec 16).
    https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/16-states-sue-trump-administration-suspending-ev-charging-infrastructure-2025-12-16/

  13. EVs stumbled into 2026. Now automakers are betting on cheaper cars.. United States Department of Transportation. (2026, Jan 10).
    https://www.businessinsider.com/evs-stumble-automakers-ready-cheaper-cars-2026-1

  14. Global EV Data Explorer. Iea. (2025, July 31).
    https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/global-ev-data-explorer

  15. Electric vehicle batteries. Iea. (2026).
    https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2025/electric-vehicle-batteries

  16. INVESTING IN AMERICA: Number of Publicly Available Electric Vehicle Chargers Has Doubled Since Start of Biden-Harris Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation- Federal Highway Administration. (2024, Aug 27).
    https://highways.dot.gov/newsroom/investing-america-number-publicly-available-electric-vehicle-chargers-has-doubled-start

  17. U.S. adds 780 new EV charging stations in record third-quarter expansion. Los Angeles Times. (2025, Oct 09).
    https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-10-09/the-us-is-adding-ev-chargers-at-a-record-pace

  18. Electric vehicle charging. Iea. (2026).
    https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2025/electric-vehicle-charging

  19. Electric Vehicle Charging Ports by State. U.S. Department of Energy. (2026).
    https://afdc.energy.gov/data/10366