EVs are catching on—registrations were up 95% in early 2021
Sean Tucker
Tesla models dominate, but Chevy, Ford and Nissan EVs are in the top five
In the first four months of the year, 71% of new EVs registered were Teslas.
Electric vehicles remain a small percentage of the cars on American roads. But EV registrations are gaining speed. In the first three months of 2021, Americans registered new EVs at three times the rate of other types of new cars.
Registrations up for every type
According to a new report from Experian, EXPGY, +1.65% overall new car registrations from January to April were 36% higher than one year before. Dealers have been enjoying booming sales as the economy recovers from the lows of last year’s COVID-19-related lockdowns. Car dealers are running short of some popular models.
Read: The pros and cons of electric cars
Through the first four months of 2021, registrations of new EVs were up 95% from the same period in 2020. However, electric cars remain a small percentage of the market – just 2.3% in the first quarter of 2021.
Also see: How will I charge an EV, and how much will it cost me?
Tesla dominates numbers
Tesla TSLA, -1.95% continued to dominate the category – 71% of new EVs registered were Tesla products. Two models saw the most registrations – Americans obtained license plates for more than 53,000 new Model Y SUVs and more than 35,000 Model 3 sedans. The Chevy Bolt, Ford F, -1.71% Mustang Mach-E, and Nissan NSANY, +0.20% Leaf rounded out the top five.
Many automakers are pushing out new electric models in 2021, however. Numbers for the same period in 2022 could look vastly different, depending on the success of new models like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Volkswagen VWAGY, -0.45% ID.4, and Hyundai HYMTF, -0.84% Ioniq 5.
EVs catching on outside California
California saw more new EVs registered than any other state. But other states are chipping away at its lead. The Golden State represented 38% of new EV registrations in the first quarter of 2021, compared to 45% one year ago. Florida came in second, with 7.2%. Texas showed, with 5.9%.
New EV registrations, January through April 2021:
Tesla Model Y: 53,102
Tesla Model 3: 35,468
Chevrolet Bolt EV: 13,611
Ford Mustang Mach-E: 6,104
Nissan Leaf: 5,023
Audi e-tron: 4,321
Porsche Taycan: 3,002
Hyundai Kona: 2,192
Tesla Model X: 1,730
Tesla Model S: 1,633
This story originally ran on KBB.com.