The global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in 2020 increased 39 percent to 3.1 million units, according to Canalys.
This compares with a sales decline of 14 percent of the total passenger car market in 2020.
Canalys forecasts that the number of EVs sold will rise to 30 million in 2028 and EVs will represent nearly half of all passenger cars sold globally by 2030.
Electric vehicles represented almost 5 percent of all new car sales in 2020. EVs are forecast to reach over 7 percent of new car sales worldwide in 2021, a further 66 percent growth, to exceed 5 million units sold. Approximately 1.3 million EVs were sold in both China and Europe in 2020, four times the EV sales in the US.
“EV sales in the US represented just 2.4 percent of new cars sold there, despite it being home to Tesla, the world’s leading EV manufacturer. Even policies from a more supportive US government won’t change things overnight,” said Chris Jones, chief analyst for automotive at Canalys.
EV sales will continue to grow throughout the decade, with Canalys forecasting that EVs will represent 48 percent of all new cars sold in 2030.
“Growth will continue as more electric vehicles launch and governments set and maintain policies to stimulate EV production and sales. Reducing ‘range anxiety’ with increases in performance and charging infrastructure will be vital to entice more buyers,” said Sandy Fitzpatrick, VP at Canalys.