There have been recent news stories about a supposed slump in the transition to zero-emission transportation—that growth in electric vehicle (EV) sales has leveled off and manufacturers are scaling back plans for new models.
Here is what you did not hear: None of that appears to apply to the West Coast, and it certainly does not match what we are seeing in Washington.
2023 was a record year for sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in Washington! Manufacturer data and newly available industry sales data show EVs and plug-ins accounting for about 20% of all vehicles sold in Washington last year.
That is more than double the national sales average of 9.5%. With transportation being Washington’s biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, this is welcome news.
Washington had the second-highest rate of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales in the nation, right behind California. Which state came in at number three behind California and Washington? Oregon. The West Coast is way ahead of the rest of the nation when it comes to plugging into zero-emission transportation.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation’s latest report shows that electric and plug-in hybrid sales made up 18.8% of Washington’s new vehicle sales in 2023—up from 13% in 2022. Manufacturers also report vehicles delivered to dealerships for sale to the Department of Ecology, and those numbers show EVs and plug-ins as 22% of new vehicle sales. The difference comes from the lag between when cars are delivered to dealerships and subsequently sold to customers.
Washington also saw a huge jump in the total number of EVs and plug-ins registered in Washington. That figure rose from 118,050 in January 2023 to 168,850 by the year’s end, according to Department of Licensing data. That is an astonishing 43% increase in a single year. (ecology.wa.gov)
For more information go to this link: