It’s no surprise that California – the Number One car-buying state – is the top green car buyer as well. A large number of “early adopters,” strong local incentives and access to High Occupancy Lanes with a single person in the cab likely tilted a large number of buyers into alternative power trains, experts said.
Through August, Californians bought 11.1 percent of all of the vehicles sold in America. They also bought 32 percent of all electric vehicles sold and 24.7 percent of all hybrids, according to retail registrations tracked by R.L. Polk and examined by Edmunds. Edmunds estimates that electric and hybrid vehicles make up 3.4 percent of the total mix of vehicles sold, a full percentage point higher than last year.
“Mainstream car buyers have been slow to accept hybrid and electric vehicles, but the numbers are trending up, and you can almost hear a sigh of relief from automakers who made big bets on these vehicles,” said Edmunds senior analyst Jessica Caldwell in a statement. “As more alt-fuel vehicles come to the market and as prices for these cars become more affordable, we expect a higher percentage of shoppers will at least consider an alternative fuel vehicle the next time they’re buying a new car.”
However, the study also points out that residents in places like Michigan, who buy up 3.7 percent of the total vehicles sold, only bought 1.8 percent of the hybrids sold.
Caldwell says that low gas prices, fewer traffic problems and smaller urban areas – resulting in fewer places to charge electric vehicles – creates little incentive for car buyers to switch to an electric or plug-in hybrid.
However some anomalies do make sense. For example, Tennessee is the ninth ranked state in the list of who buys electric vehicles, buying 2.9 percent of all electrics, even though the state is 19th in total volume at 1.7 percent. Tennessee is home to Nissan’s US headquarters and builder of the Leaf.
Scroll down to see the top 10 states in electric vehicle sales, hybrid sales and overall market sales.
California 32 percent
Florida 6.6 percent
Washington 5.7 percent
Texas 4.3 percent
New York 3.5 percent
Ohio 3.1 percent
North Carolina 3.1 percent
Illinois 3.1 percent
Tennessee 2.9 percent
Hawaii 2.9 percent
Top 10 States Buying Hybrids
California 24.7 percent
Florida 6.6 percent
Texas 5.9 percent
New York 5 percent
Illinois 3.6 percent
Virgina 3.6 percent
Pennsylvania 3.4 percent
Washington 3.1 percent
North Carolina 3.1 percent
Ohio 2.5 percent
Top 10 States for Car Buying
California 11.1 percent
Texas 9.6 percent
Florida 7.1 percent
New York 6.9 percent
Pennsylvania 4.7 percent
Ohio 4 percent
Illinois 3.9 percent
New Jersey 3.8 percent
Michigan 3.7 percent
North Carolina 2.8 percent
Oregon Buying Hybrid and Electric Cars at Supercharged Rate, Reports Edmunds.com
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – October 31, 2012 – Car buyers in the state of Oregon rank among America’s top consumers of hybrid and electric vehicles, reports Edmunds.com, the premier resource for automotive information.
Edmunds.com’s analysis of Polk’s new car registration data finds that 1.9 percent of all new hybrid vehicles sold so far in the U.S. this year were registered in Oregon, ranking the state 16th in the nation. This rate is more than twice the state’s share of all new car registrations in the U.S., where Oregon ranks 31st overall at 0.9 percent. The Beaver State also buys a higher proportion of the country’s electric vehicles (1.8%), ranking 17th in the nation.
The news comes in what’s shaping up to be the strongest year yet for alternative fuel vehicles nationwide. Edmunds.com found that 3.4 percent of new car registrations this year (through August) were hybrid or electric vehicles, which is a full percentage point higher than the rate of 2.4 percent for all of 2011.
“Mainstream car buyers have been slow to accept hybrid and electric vehicles, but the numbers are trending up, and you can almost hear a sigh of relief from automakers who made big bets on these vehicles,” said Edmunds.com Sr. Analyst Jessica Caldwell. “As more alt-fuel vehicles come to the market and as prices for these cars become more affordable, we expect a higher percentage of shoppers will at least consider an alternative fuel vehicle the next time they’re buying a new car.”
Edmunds.com projects that at least 43 all-new conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery-electric vehicles, diesels and fuel-cell electric vehicles are planned for introduction in the U.S. from now through the 2015 model year. Car buyers can learn specifics on each of these vehicles at http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/whats-coming-alternative-vehicles-2013-15.html.
Thinking of making a switch to a hybrid or electric vehicle? The Hybrid and Electric Center at http://www.edmunds.com/hybrid/ provides comprehensive information on every alternative fuel vehicle on the market at this very moment. And Edmunds.com lays out all the pros and cons of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles at http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/is-a-plug-in-hybrid-or-electric-car-right-for-you.html.
About Edmunds.com, Inc.
At Edmunds.com, we’re committed to helping people find the car that meets their every need. Almost 18 million visitors use our research, shopping and buying tools every month to make an easy and informed decision on their next new or used car. Whether you’re at the dealership or on the go, we’re always by your side with our five-star Edmunds.com iPhone and iPad apps and our Edmunds.com Android App. Our comprehensive car reviews, shopping tips, photos, videos and feature stories offer a friendly and authentic approach to the automotive world. We’re based in Santa Monica, Calif., but you can connect with us from anywhere by following @Edmunds on Twitter or by becoming a fan of Edmunds.com on Facebook.
