Electric vehicle market share rises

In just four years, the sale of electric vehicles have gone from 1.6% of the market to 4.1% of the market.  A lot of that has been taken from the hybrid market.  In a year or two, we will see a new category added to the list—self driving cars.  They are already all over Palo Alto and several other Silicon Valley cities.  Expect by the end of 2019 to be available to the general public.

More interesting is the fact that  passenger car sales are down by 10.6% but light truck sales are up by 10.6%–that shows even the high cost of taxes on gas has not stopped the public from buying what they want, not what government is demanding via higher gas taxes.  Looks like people in California still like the idea of freedom.

Electric vehicle market  share rises 

Sierra2the Sea,  11/21/18

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California new vehicle market declined 2.7 percent during the first nine months of this year, while the U.S. market was essentially unchanged.

According to the California Auto Outlook Third Quarter 2018, California light truck sales continue to increase, by 5.2 percent from 2017, while passenger car registrations have fallen by 10.6 percent below this time last year. While California sales reflect the national preference for light trucks over passenger cars, the trend is more pronounced across the country with US light truck sales increasing by 7.6 percent and US passenger car sales falling by 13.2 percent. The outlook was released November 20.

The California new vehicle market declined for the sixth consecutive quarter in 3Q 2018 versus a year earlier, down 3.6% year to date.

“While California new vehicle sales are expected to be slightly below 2 million units this year, we continue to be encouraged that California sales are steady and remain at elevated levels. Even if the market is slightly declining, we need to keep perspective that this is a natural trend for a market that has seen significant, consistent growth over the course of several years,” said California New Car Dealers Association Chairperson, Taz Harvey of Dublin Mazda

YTD through September light truck registrations in the state increased 5.2 percent, while passenger cars fell 10.6 percent.

Light truck market share in California was 54.5 percent vs. 68.2 percent in the Nation.

The electric vehicle market share continues to increase throughout the state, making up 11.2 percent of the market, year to date. This is a 4 percent increase during the first nine months of 2018. However, not every powertrain is seeing this increase, hybrid vehicles continue to see a decline year over year, from 4.6 percent in Q3 2017 to 4.1 percent year to date.

Additionally, 13 of the top 20 brands in California saw light truck sales increase, paced by Volkswagen with an increase of  more than 100 percent compared to  this time last year.