Greentech Lead America: Despite the belief that electric
cars are expensive, electric cars sales in the state of New York is growing at
a stunning rate, according to Edmunds.com, a resource for automotive
information.
Edmunds.com’s analysis of Polk’s new car registration
data finds that 3.5 percent of all new electric vehicles sold so far this year
in the U.S. were registered in New York. This rate is about half the state’s
share of all new car registrations in the U.S., where New York ranks 4th
overall at 6.9 percent. The Empire State also buys a lower proportion of the
country’s hybrid vehicles (5.0 percent).
The news comes in what’s shaping up to be the strongest
year yet for alternative fuel vehicles nationwide. Edmunds.com found that 3.4
percent of new car registrations this year (through August) were hybrid or
electric vehicles, which is a full percentage point higher than the rate of 2.4
percent for all of 2011.
“Mainstream car buyers have been slow to accept hybrid
and electric vehicles, but the numbers are trending up, and you can almost hear
a sigh of relief from automakers who made big bets on these vehicles,” said
Edmunds.com senior analyst Jessica Caldwell.
“As more alt-fuel vehicles come to the market and as
prices for these cars become more affordable, we expect a higher percentage of
shoppers will at least consider an alternative fuel vehicle the next time
they’re buying a new car,” Caldwell added.
Edmunds.com projects that at least 43 all-new
conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery-electric vehicles, diesels and
fuel-cell electric vehicles are planned for introduction in the U.S. from now
through the 2015 model year.