The Sierra Club has recently conducted a survey to evaluate the accessibility of plug-in-vehicles across the United States. As per their findings, EVs were only available in 34% of the total auto dealerships in the US in 2022, and less than half of those without EVs were interested in selling them if they could. However, in ZEV states with laws to encourage higher EV sales, dealerships were more keen to sell them. The results indicate that the laws have gradually started to show positive effects.
To date, 13 states have adopted the ZEV Program (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington).
During a Sierra Club study conducted between June and November 2022, staff and volunteers reached out to over 800 dealerships throughout the United States to determine the state of the electric vehicle (EV) market. Their findings indicate that only 34 percent of car dealerships had any EVs available for purchase during the survey period. A total of 66 percent of dealers did not have an EV for sale, and of those, only 44 percent said they would sell EVs if available. While supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic have made shopping for all kinds of products difficult, the EV market appears to face particularly significant challenges.
During a Sierra Club study conducted between June and November 2022, staff and volunteers reached out to over 800 dealerships throughout the United States to determine the state of the electric vehicle (EV) market. Their findings indicate that only 34 percent of car dealerships had any EVs available for purchase during the survey period. A total of 66 percent of dealers did not have an EV for sale, and of those, only 44 percent said they would sell EVs if available. While supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic have made shopping for all kinds of products difficult, the EV market appears to face particularly significant challenges.
Dealers in Zero-Emission-Vehicle (ZEV) states are found to be more interested in selling electric vehicles (EVs). According to a report by the Sierra Club, over 52% of dealers in ZEV states wanted to sell plug-in EVs but lacked supply, while only 41% wished to sell them in non-ZEV states. The report placed the onus of supplying more EVs on manufacturers, matching the increasing demand for EVs, which is currently high. The report further stated that companies producing EVs must step up production to meet consumer demand.
More than 2.5 million plug-in electric cars were sold in the first quarter of 2023, accounting for about 13 percent of the total car sales globally.
Overall, the increasing popularity of plug-in electric cars is indicative of the transformation in consumer preference and reducing dependence on conventional energy sources. Despite being more expensive than traditional petrol or diesel vehicles, trends show that consumers are willing to invest extra to benefit from fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness. Moreover, the rising demand for zero-emission vehicles is a positive sign for environmental sustainability concerns. It will certainly be interesting to observe if this growth continues into the future, and what new prospects for renewable transportation would then come about. All in all, it appears that the transition towards an electric future is underway and is on a steady course.
Now the manufacturers have to get out of the way.
