In 2024, a Supermajority of Californian Shoppers Voted Not To Buy an Electric Vehicle 

California is easy to call America’s greenest state. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) should be credited with pushing the electrification of America’s personal vehicle fleet more than any other single entity, except perhaps Tesla, which started in California and still maintains a huge manufacturing presence in the state. Yet, despite seeming to be all-in on EVs, a supermajority of shoppers in California who bought a new car in 2024 didn’t buy an EV. How does this fact square with the perception that “everyone in California drives an EV?”

First, let us tell you how we came to find this fact and be inspired to write a story around it. While conducting fact-checking related to our story on how Governor Newsom solved the EV subsidy conundrum, we found this statement of fact on the Governor’s official state website: “In the third quarter of 2024, Californians purchased 115,897 ZEVs, representing 26.4% of all new vehicle sales in the state.” While the number of ZEVs (zero emission vehicles) is certainly a large one, the statement also means that 74% of Californians are NOT buying EVs. That is well above a supermajority. To be true to the facts, other sources put the percent of battery-electric vehicles at around 22.2%. 

If California’s EV take rate was limited by availability or by selection, it would be understandable that a supermajority of Californians opted not to buy an EV. However, let’s list a few facts. 

• Reviewers (including me) sing the praises of EVs. 
• EVs are presently in a glut situation with more available than customers to buy them.
• EVs are presently receiving huge incentives.
• EVs are presently supported by massive federal subsidies of many types.
• The selection of EVs is incredible right now.

Let’s examine the last point. In 2024, electric vehicle shoppers can choose from dozens of EVs starting at under $30K (Nissan’s Leaf) in virtually every vehicle segment. There are five battery-electric full-size trucks for sale, and many are now entering their third model year of sales. The list of SUVs and crossovers is too long to list, led by the Tesla Model Y, which is selling at prices well below its 2022 high point when Tesla jacked up prices to take advantage of the shortage during COVID shutdowns. Insanely fast sedans from Lucid and Tesla offer performance luxury buyers an easy choice rather than a slower, conventionally powered vehicle. It is hard to imagine that insufficient selection is a problem for shoppers.

Electric vehicle take rate in California declined this year despite a broad selection of EVs and inventory to spare. The EV slowdown tipping point in California was in late 2023. California may still set records for overall EV deliveries in 2024, but the percentage of folks who buy an EV has plateaued, if not declined outright. 

So, why are about three out of four Californians opting not to buy an EV heading into 2025 and instead buying other types of vehicles? One reason is that trucks are still a huge percentage of overall vehicle deliveries and EV trucks have failed in the marketplace. You can read our spotlight on how EV trucks have failed if you need specifics, but Rivian’s R1T, Tesla’s Cybertruck, GM’s three trucks, and the Ford F-150 Lightning are all available, and together, they make up a meaningless percent of full-size truck sales. Ford actually stopped making Lightnings, and Tesla has never once mentioned the Cybertruck in any of its delivery reports since it went on sale last year. 

Another reason that a supermajority of new vehicle shoppers opt not to buy an EV in California is that EVs are not the only green vehicle solution. Most shoppers know that hybrids are a very affordable and very green alternative to EVs, and require no reliance on sketchy public charging infrastructure. 

The final reason, and this is a point we make based on our own testing over the past twelve years, is that owning an EV without having your very own home charger is simply frustrating for those who drive daily. According to The Public Policy Institute of California, the state has the country's second-lowest home ownership rate. For those who want to drive green and who don’t want charging hassles, hybrids offer a more practical solution. 

EV-only government mandates instituted by the small minority of Californians who buy EVs are a real path to eliminating other vehicle choices. Without such mandates by the ruling-class minority, the supermajority of those who buy new vehicles in California will likely continue to opt for vehicles they find more affordable and easier to live with. If ultra-green California can’t muster an EV majority, what hope is there for the other states with a less green tilt?

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John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading. 

Image courtesy of Tesla, Inc.