BYD Explorer No 1 unloading cars in Brazil (Source: BYD)
In 2024, the world sold 3.5 million more EVs than it did in the previous year, according to a new report by Rho Motion. This increase is larger than the 3.2 million increase in EV sales from the previous year – meaning that EV sales aren’t just up, but that the rate of growth is itself increasing.
However, an entire year of false political, media and industry statements might have had you thinking otherwise.
You’ve probably heard this lie many times over the course of more than a year: that, supposedly, EV sales are in trouble, and are slowing drastically.
This myth has been pushed by many, in many forms, with varying levels of wrongness. The position has been so pervasive that it might as well be universal – it has been taken as accepted fact that EV sales are down, even though they simply aren’t.
Sometimes it has been an intentional distortion from actors who oppose the growth of clean-air vehicles, but the attitude has become so pervasive that many have repeated it unthinkingly, without actually looking at the data. And thus this misinformation has become oft-repeated common knowledge, despite being incorrect.
But today, Rho Motion, an electric vehicle research consultancy, is out with a new report showing what we knew all along – that EV sales are still growing strongly.
No, EV sales didn’t slow
One form of this misinformation says that EV sales are down – which is to say that fewer people are buying EVs now than were in the past. This is phenomenally untrue – per the data at the end of the year (and quarterly data mid-year as well, as we pointed out), EV sales grew and set records in every territory around the world in 2024 except Europe, where they were down just 3%.
Rho Motion’s report, out today, shows that EV sales increased in all regions other than Europe, and across the globe as a whole. China experienced the largest growth at 40%, with North America growing by 9% and the “rest of the world” growing at 27%.
But even the European numbers are misleading, given that European EV sales were mostly up outside of its largest country Germany, which saw a decrease due to the country ending EV incentives in late 2023, leading to a pull-forward in demand and subsequent drop in sales.
But outside of that one region, driven largely by an end in incentives in one country, the rest of the world’s regions, and the globe itself, saw a drastic increase in EV sales.
Another, lighter form of misinformation repeated throughout the last year stated that EV sales growth has slowed. There’s a difference between this statement and saying that sales are down – many headlines described EV sales as falling, cooling, slowing, etc., but those words would apply to a decrease, when in fact EV sales increased.
EV sales “growth” is different, and after so many people lied saying that EV sales were going down, some instead took the lighter position that EV sales would simply not grow as much in 2024 as they had in 2023. The suggestion here was that the rate of change of EV sales (that is, the second derivative of sales numbers) would reduce, and that that signaled trouble.
But we now know that even that assertion is wrong.
Looking into Rho Motion’s data for the last couple years, the world sold 17.1 million plug-in cars in 2024. In 2023, the world sold 13.6 million, and in 2022, the world sold 10.4 million. Rho Motion’s numbers do include both BEVs and PHEVs, but not cars without a plug.
Let’s look at the difference between those numbers. In 2023, EV sales grew by 3.2 million units across the world. But in 2024, EV sales grew by 3.5 million, which for those in the back is in fact a bigger number than 3.2 million.
This means that not only did EV sales grow in 2024, but the rate of growth even went up on a unit basis.
This rise in growth is obscured by using percentages rather than raw numbers (showing 31% growth in 2023, but 25% in 2024, as these numbers do), because any number that starts small and rapidly grows will inevitably experience lower percentage growth over time.
If, for example, your company sold 100 units in one year, then 1,000 units in the next, then 9,000 units in the next year, you would clearly understand that the third year is your best year in sales, and your biggest year of growth, as you added +8,000 unit sales compared to the previous year’s +900 unit sales growth.
But if you look at it on a percentage basis, your growth just went down from +900% to +800%. Even though your company is clearly doing increasingly better, you’ve added far more employees than ever before, your revenues are at an order of magnitude they’ve never reached before, etc., someone who is looking for impossible, infinitely-continuing exponential growth could try to look at this and claim that your company is doing worse than it was.
So, even these arguments focusing on slower sales growth are misleading. EV sales went up in 2024, and they went up by more than they did in the previous year. Some of us thought at the beginning of 2024 that this may end up being the case, even in the face of all this disinformation from anti-EV forces in media, industry and politics. Those of us who predicted that are vindicated, now that all the cards are on the table.
Gas car sales are in long-term decline
Meanwhile, one thing that all of these headlines ignore is that gas car sales are in long-term decline.
Among all the false focus on EV sales throughout the year, relatively fewer headlines have noted that global gas car sales hit their peak in 2017, have not hit that peak again, and likely will never hit that peak again. They’re down about a quarter from that peak, and show no signs of recovering, as it’s likely that any increase in vehicle sales will be taken up by growth in EV sales, not gas car sales.
So the growth in EV sales should look even stronger when compared to the long-term weakness of gas car sales.
Of course, cars themselves, regardless of powertrain, still have numerous other negative environmental effects, and a shift to micromobility and mass transit would be even more environmentally preferable. But as long as gas cars are unfortunately still being made, seeing them trend downward and be replaced by vehicles that don’t spew poison from their tailpipes during every second of operation should be cause for celebration for all living things on Earth.
But what isn’t great is that, even with today’s news showing how false all of these headlines have been throughout the year, we’re not sure any of this is going to stop in our current post-truth era. The lies have not just been proven wrong today, but were wrong all along – EV sales weren’t down at any point over the course of the last year, but people kept ignoring the data and saying it.
Why does it matter? These lies influence policy – and cause more pollution
All of this matters because these constant incorrect statements have caused changes in plans for both automakers and governments who are pulling back their EV targets, and because it contributes to incorrect consumer perceptions which in turn actually can affect demand, all of which dooms humanity to worse health and climate outcomes.
Early on as this pattern of lies started to show itself in the media, David Reichmuth of the Union of Concerned Scientists suggested that one motivation behind the false headlines could be to influence regulations. The idea goes that, by pretending EV sales were “cooling,” despite that they were not, automakers could convince governments to pull back on their future commitments, thus allowing them to continue business as usual instead of having to put in effort to make actually good cars that don’t poison everything around them.
And yet, the headlines continued, and so many outlets continued to push the same false narrative that they had for more than a year claiming that EV sales are down. Some number of consumers who hear these constant falsehoods may have their EV buying decisions delayed as a result, which could in turn have suppressed EV sales below the even higher level that they might have been at without so much incorrect reporting.
And yes, higher EV sales growth rates would be preferable to the current status quo and are needed to meet climate targets. Or rather, a faster decline in gas car sales is what’s truly needed – and would be beneficial to all living beings on this planet.
The environment cannot wait, and humans can’t spend the next 10-20 years breathing down the poison coming out of the tailpipe of each gas-powered vehicle sold today. This needs to end and it needs to end now. The faster we act, the easier it will be for the world to reach carbon reductions that are objectively necessary to achieve.
So stop lying about EV sales trends
But overall, the point of this article is that media headlines and political statements suggesting a slowdown in EV sales are simply incorrect. And it’s hard to imagine that these headlines, which continued for more than a year, were not intentional.
Each journalist, politician, or auto company CEO who perpetuated the myth of an EV sales slowdown could have read any one of our articles, or googled a single number showing year-over-year EV sales in any region or for most countries and most brands, and found that outside of a few outliers, they are still going up. The information is out there and easy to find.
Today’s report ought to be the final nail in the coffin that gets people to stop repeating this nonsense. Thankfully, we’ve seen it less in the last couple months, so hopefully it’s petering out by now, but we expect this falsehood will still linger on in some realms. But if you hear it, now you know the truth: EV sales are up, and they were up more in 2024 than they were in 2023.
Know what else is growing? Home solar! Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you on EnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get started here. – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
In a bold bid to combat the crippling air pollution crisis in its capital, Delhi, Indian lawmakers have begun high-level discussions about a plan to phase out gas and diesel combustion vehicles by 2035 – a move that could cause a seismic shift in the global EV space and provide a cleaner, greener future for India’s capital.
Long considered one of the world’s most polluted capital cities, Indian capital Delhi is taking drastic steps to cut back pollution with a gas and diesel engine ban coming soon – but they want results faster than that. As such, Delhi is starting with a city-wide ban on refueling vehicles more than 15 years old, and it went into effect earlier this week. (!)
“We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps which will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” said Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa … but they’re not stopping there. “Additionally, we will intensify scrutiny of heavy vehicles entering Delhi to ensure they meet prescribed environmental standards before being allowed entry.”
The Economic Times is reporting that discussions are underway to pass laws requiring that all future bus purchases will be required to be electric or “clean fuel” (read: CNG or hydrogen) by the end of this year, with a gas/diesel ban on “three-wheelers and light goods vehicles,” (commercial tuk-tuks and delivery mopeds) potentially coming 2026 to 2027 and a similar ban privately owned and operated cars and bikes coming “between 2030 and 2035.”
Electrek’s Take
Xpeng EV with Turing AI and Bulletproof battery; via XPeng.
Last week, Parker Hannifin launched what they’re calling the industry’s first certified Mobile Electrification Technology Center to train mobile equipment technicians make the transition from conventional diesel engines to modern electric motors.
The electrification of mobile equipment is opening new doors for construction and engineering companies working in indoor, environmentally sensitive, or noise-regulated urban environments – but it also poses a new set of challenges that, while they mirror some of the challenges internal combustion faced a century ago, aren’t yet fully solved. These go beyond just getting energy to the equipment assets’ batteries, and include the integration of hydraulic implements, electronic controls, and the myriad of upfit accessories that have been developed over the last five decades to operate on 12V power.
At the same time, manufacturers and dealers have to ensure the safety of their technicians, which includes providing comprehensive training on the intricacies of high-voltage electric vehicle repair and maintenance – and that’s where Parker’s new mobile equipment training program comes in, helping to accelerate the shift to EVs.
“We are excited to partner with these outstanding distributors at a higher level. Their commitment to designing innovative mobile electrification systems aligns perfectly with our vision to empower machine manufacturers in reducing their environmental footprint while enhancing operational efficiency,” explains Mark Schoessler, VP of sales for Parker’s Motion Systems Group. “Their expertise in designing mobile electrification systems and their capability to deliver integrated solutions will help to maximize the impact of Parker’s expanding METC network.”
Advertisement – scroll for more content
The manufacturing equipment experts at Nott Company were among the first to go through the Parker Hannifin training program, certifying their technicians on Parker’s electric motors, drives, coolers, controllers and control systems.
“We are proud to be recognized for our unwavering dedication to advancing mobile electrification technologies and delivering cutting-edge solutions,” says Nott CEO, Markus Rauchhaus. “This milestone would not have been possible without our incredible partners, customers and the team at Nott Company.”
In addition to Nott, two other North American distributors (Depatie Fluid Power in Portage, Michigan, and Hydradyne in Fort Worth, Texas) have completed the Parker certification.
Electrek’s Take
T7X all-electric track loader at CES 2022; via Doosan Bobcat.
With the rise of electric equipment assets like Bobcat’s T7X compact track loader and E10e electric excavator that eliminate traditional hydraulics and rely on high-voltage battery systems, specialized electrical systems training is becoming increasingly important. Seasoned, steady hands with decades of diesel and hydraulic systems experience are obsolete, and they’ll need to learn new skills to stay relevant.
Certification programs like Parker’s are working to bridge that skills gap, equipping technicians with the skills to maximize performance while mitigating risks associated with high-voltage systems. Here’s hoping more of these start popping up sooner than later.
Based on a Peterbilt 579 commercial semi truck, the ReVolt EREV hybrid electric semi truck promises 40% better fuel economy and more than twice the torque of a conventional, diesel-powered semi. The concept has promise – and now, it has customers.
Austin, Texas-based ReVolt Motors scored its first win with specialist carrier Page Trucking, who’s rolling the dice on five of the Peterbilt 579-based hybrid big rigs — with another order for 15 more of the modified Petes waiting in the wings if the initial five work out.
The deal will see ReVolt’s “dual-power system” put to the test in real-world conditions, pairing its e-axles’ battery-electric torque with up to 1,200 miles of diesel-extended range.
ReVolt Motors team
ReVolt Motors team; via ReVolt.
The ReVolt team starts off with a Peterbilt, then removes the transmission and drive axle, replacing them with a large genhead and batteries. As the big Pete’s diesel engine runs (that’s right, kids – the engine stays in place), it creates electrical energy that’s stored in the trucks’ batteries. Those electrons then flow to the truck’s 670 hp e-axles, putting down a massive, 3500 lb-ft of Earth-moving torque to the ground at 0 rpm.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
The result is an electrically-driven semi truck that works like a big BMW i3 or other EREV, and packs enough battery capacity to operate as a ZEV (sorry, ZET) in ports and urban clean zones. And, more importantly, allows over-the-road drivers to hotel for up to 34 hours without idling the engine or requiring a grid connection.
That ability to “hotel” in the cab is incredibly important, especially as the national shortage of semi truck parking continues to worsen and the number of goods shipped across America’s roads continues to increase.
And, because the ReVolt trucks can hotel without the noise and emissions of diesel or the loss of range of pure electric, they can immediately “plug in” to existing long-haul routes without the need to wait for a commercial truck charging infrastructure to materialize.
“Drivers should not have to choose between losing their longtime routes because of changing regulatory environments or losing the truck in which they have already made significant investments,” explains Gus Gardner, ReVolt founder and CEO. “American truckers want their trucks to reflect their identity, and our retrofit technology allows them to continue driving the trucks they love while still making a living.”
If all of that sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve heard of Hyliion.
In addition to being located in the same town and employing the same idea in the same Peterbilt 579 tractor, ReVolt even employs some of the same key players as Hyliion: both the company’s CTO, Chandra Patil, and its Director of Engineering, Blake Witchie, previously worked at Hyliion’s truck works.
Still, Hyliion made their choice when they shut down their truck business. ReVolt seems to have picked up the ball – and their first customer is eager to run with it.
“Our industry is undergoing a major transition, and fleet owners need practical solutions that make financial sense while reducing our environmental impact,” said Dan Titus, CEO of Page Trucking. “ReVolt’s hybrid drivetrain lowers our fuel costs, providing our drivers with a powerful and efficient truck, all without the need for expensive charging infrastructure or worrying about state compliance mandates. The reduced emissions also enable our customers to reduce their Scope 2 emissions.”
Page Trucking has a fleet of approximately 500 trucks in service, serving the agriculture, hazardous materials, and bulk commodities industries throughout Texas. And, if ReVolt’s EREV semis live up to their promise, expect them to operate a lot more than 20 of ’em.