Most of the world’s EVs are found in one country, and its dominance will only continue to grow.
Electric Cars
Most of the world’s EVs are found in one country, where more than a quarter of all new cars sold are electric – and growing fast.
As of 2024, China is the country with the most electric cars in the world – and by a long shot.
In 2021, there were 417 million registered vehicles in China, 319 million of which were passenger cars.
Of that, 13.1 million were “new energy vehicles” –those with electric, hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
Pure electric vehicles comprised 81.6 per cent of this category, meaning there were approximately 10.6 million electric cars on the roads in China in 2021. This figure is growing rapidly.
In 2022, more than 4.4 million new electric vehicles were sold in China, and in 2023, annual new EV sales reached 9.49 million. As of January 2024, we estimate there are around 20 million electric vehicles on the road in China – the most of any country in the world.
Although it lags behind China in terms of sheer volume, Norway leads the charge for proportionate electric vehicle sales not just in Europe but the entire world, with more than 80 per cent of the 126,953new vehicles sold in Norway in 2023 being pure electric.
So why is China so hungry for EVs?
In China, electric vehicles have reached price parity with internal combustion equivalents, driving the growth as new EV start-ups proliferate in the local Chinese new-car market. Not only that, China effectively owns the global electric vehicle supply chain.
Investment bank Morgan Stanley estimates 90 per cent of the global electric vehicle battery supply chain resides in China. Stroll through a shopping centre in China and between the usual clothes and cosmetic stores you’ll find tiny showrooms from electric vehicle brands you’ve never heard of.
Roads in Chinese cities are full of electric vehicles with mysterious badges and names, many of which are from start-ups that eventually go bust.
What is the second biggest market for electric cars?
Elsewhere in the world, the United States comes second for electric vehicles on its roads – by a very long way.
In 2022, there were 2,442,300 electric vehicles registered in the United States of the 99,946,870 private and commercially owned automobiles, according to data from official government sources.
More than 1.1 million new electric vehicles were sold in the USA in 2023, putting the national electric vehicle fleet at an estimated 3.5 million as of January 2024.
Europe is not too far behind. In 2023, there were 3,860,233 battery electric vehicles registered across the 27 nations of the European Union, according to official data from the European Commission.
At home in Australia, the Electric Vehicle Council estimates there are 109,000 battery electric vehicles on local roads as of 2023.
In 2023, 87,217 electric passenger, SUV and light commercial vehicles were sold in Australia – more than twice the EV sales of the year prior – but still a relatively tiny percentage of the total 1,216,780 new vehicles sold.
Electric vehicle sales are expected to grow rapidly in the coming years as governments continue to incentivise consumers, but also as the cost to manufacture them drops.
American private research firm the Rocky Mountain Institute estimates EVs will reach price parity with fossil fuel vehicles in Europe in 2024, the US in 2026, and that electric cars will account for two-thirds of global new vehicle sales by 2030.
Morgan Stanley estimates half of all new cars sold by 2050 will be battery electric vehicles – and if you ask us, most of them will continue to be in China.
Dylan Campbell has been road-testing and writing about cars and the new-car industry since 2006. An independent motoring expert based in Melbourne, Dylan is a former Editor of Wheels Magazine, MOTOR Magazine and the TopGear Australia website.
Read more about Dylan Campbell
FAQs
As of 2024, China is the country with the most electric cars in the world – and by a long shot. In 2021, there were 417 million registered vehicles in China, 319 million of which were passenger cars. Of that, 13.1 million were “new energy vehicles” – those with electric, hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
Which country has the highest number of electric cars? ›
China is by far the biggest player when it comes to EVs. In 2022, 22% of passenger vehicles sold in China were all-electric, which adds up to 4.4 million sales. That's higher than the 3 million EVs sold in the rest of the world combined.
Who leads the world in electric cars? ›
China is the worldwide leader for EV sales and sales share, and it's not a particularly close race. It had 8.1 million EVs sold last year, 38.0% of its total vehicle sales. The United States is currently lagging behind not just China but also Europe in its EV numbers.
Which country has most electric? ›
China: The Titan of Electronics Manufacturing
China's strong technology infrastructure, skilled labor, and huge production facilities cement its position as the epicenter of electronic manufacturing. Also, China has gained the title of "world's factory" due to its huge production capabilities.
Which country uses Tesla car most? ›
Download Table Data
| Country | Tesla Sales (All Models, Partial Year Jan-May) 2024 | Tesla Model Y Sales 2021 |
|---|
| United States | 232,400 | 189,797 |
| China | 219,056 | 200,131 |
| Australia | 18,433 | |
| Germany | 16,601 | 4,400 |
15 more rowsNorway is a major oil and gas producer, but the Scandinavian country also aims to sell only zero-emission vehicles by 2025, 10 years ahead of the European Union's goal. One big reason Norway smashed the world record is the incentives offered to its citizens regarding electric vehicles.
Which US city has the most electric cars? ›
Los Angeles, USA.
Los Angeles is leading the way in electric vehicle (EV) adoption with ambitious targets: 10% of vehicles electric by 2025 and 25% by 2035. LA boasts an impressive milestone of 100,000 cumulative EV sales, making it a global leader in the EV movement.
Who is Tesla's biggest competitor? ›
Ford, GM, and BYD Company Ltd. are some of Tesla's main competitors. However, Tesla faces many challenges to keep its spot as the number-one EV manufacturer in the U.S.
What is the most sold electric car? ›
Tesla currently dominates the EV market. Sales across its four models — Y, 3, X, and S— represent nearly three-fourths of total 2021 EV sales.
Who is the No. 1 EV company? ›
Tesla. Tesla is a US-based EV company that is widely regarded as the leader in the EV market. The company was founded in 2003 by tech billionaire Elon Musk, and it has since become known for its high-quality and innovative EVs.
China is the world's largest electricity producing country, followed by the United States and India.
Which country has the best electricity system in the world? ›
Paraguay has the cleanest power grid in the world, achieving a 100 percent clean electricity supply at the end of 2021. Hydropower contributes 100 percent of the South American country's electricity supply, with a hydropower output of around 9 GW a year, making it the third-largest hydropower producer globally.
Which country has the cleanest energy? ›
- 8) Iceland: 96.2% ...
- 7) Switzerland: 97.4% ...
- 6) Norway: 98.3% ...
- 5) Ethiopia: 98.1% ...
- 4) Nepal: 98.4% ...
- 3) Lesotho: 99.3% ...
- 2) Bhutan: 99.8% ...
- 1) Paraguay: 100% clean power.
If you drive in several large cities in California, you will be amazed by the number of Tesla vehicles on the road. Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area in particular.
How much is the cheapest Tesla? ›
Tesla's Model 3 is the cheapest Tesla car available. With the base model retailing for $40,380 , this car is Tesla's first attempt at a mass-market electric car to appeal to automobile shoppers of a wide range of budgets.
What percent of US cars are electric? ›
EV sales in the U.S.
This figure accounts for about 6.9% of new vehicle purchases. Looking back at 2023, the last full year of EV sales, there were 1,077,138 EVs. By comparison, there were 13,061,153 gas vehicles sold in 2023.
Why does Norway have so many electric cars? ›
Gas pumps and parking meters are being replaced by chargers. It's an electric utopia of the future. Norway's grid has been able to handle the influx of EVs so far because of its abundance of hydropower. “Electric cars are maybe a third of the price of gasoline because we have close to 100% hydropower.
Where are electric cars sold the most? ›
The U.S., Europe and China represent the three largest global markets in EV sales. Based on current trends, EVs will help significantly cut down on oil usage by 2030. California, Florida, Texas and Washington lead the nation with the highest numbers of EV registrations.
Which country has the most electric cars in 2024? ›
In terms of new EV volumes, no market was able to pull ahead of China. In the first six months of 2024, the country recorded nearly 4.3 million plug-in deliveries. This meant that battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) made up 43% of the market.
Which country has the highest number of EV charging stations? ›
China. China has a massive EV charging network, with over 7.2 million charging units as of August 2023. They have a significant lead in public charging stations, with around 2.2 million stations and a strong presence of fast chargers, exceeding 760,000 units. This allows for quicker charging times on long journeys.
