Gezixuan reported on November 11 that California has always been a hot spot for electric vehicles in the United States. Electric vehicles (EVs) accounted for 22.2% of new car sales across the state in the first nine months of this year, according to the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA). While only a modest increase compared to the same period last year, it was well above the 9.1% recorded in 2021.

Gezixuan noted that from January to September this year, a total of 1,320,708 new light vehicles (including all powertrains) were registered in California。 This was down 1.7% compared to the same period in 2021, with 362,881 sedans (-13.1%) and 957,827 light trucks (-3.4%). California is expected to register 1.75 million new vehicles by the end of the year, down slightly from 1.77 million last year and well below pre-pandemic levels. From 2015 to 2019, California consistently sold 1.89 million or more vehicles annually.

It is worth noting that the proportion of sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid vehicles is rising. BEV sales have jumped to 293,109 units, or 22.2%, up slightly from 21.5% for the full year of 2023. The proportion of conventional hybrid vehicles sold also increased, with 182,469 new vehicles registered, accounting for 13.8%.

In contrast, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) lag behind BEVs and regular hybrids in sales. Only 45,244 units were sold in the California market in the first nine months of this year, with a stable market share of 3.4%, the same share as for the full year of 2023.

Gasoline-powered vehicles remain the most popular powertrain option in California. Of all new light vehicles sold in California this year, 58.3% are gasoline engines. BEVs came in second with 22.2%, followed by hybrids at 13.8%, plug-in hybrids at 3.4%, and diesel-powered ICE models at 2.3%. Overall, BEVs, hybrid vehicles, PHEVs, and fuel cell vehicles have a combined market share of 39.4%.

In the BEV space, Tesla remains California's undisputed heavyweight champion. According to CNCDA, the Tesla Model Y registered 105,693 new vehicles in California from January to September of this year, making it the best-selling BEV in California, far ahead of its competitors. The Model 3 came in second with 34,219 units, while the Hyundai Ioniq 5 came in third with only 11,711 units sold.

However, according to CNCDA, Tesla's EV market share in California is down 8.5% from last year, marking 12 consecutive months of incremental decline. While Tesla may still have the lion's share of the BEV segment, competitors are sharpening their minions. Brands such as Kia, BMW, and Hyundai are quietly but steadily eating into market share, with their respective EV market shares up 1.4%, 1.3%, and 1.3% year-over-year.

Looking at California's broader automotive market, Toyota topped the list of all powertrains with 215,402 registrations, with a market share of 16.3 percent. Tesla is in second place with a 12.1% share, and Honda is in third place with a 10.9% market share.