Sales of CA electric vehicles have stood as a remarkable mandate – patch

By Alejandro Lazo, Calmatters

California – California of California to electrify its cars faces a potentially serious problem: people do not buy electric cars fast enough.

After three direct years of strong growth, sales stabilize in California, raising questions whether the state will not fulfill its innovative mandate prohibiting sales of gas vehicles.

About a quarter – 25.3% – of all new cars registered in California in 2024, were zero emissions, just over 25% in 2023, according to the New California Energy Commission. Flat sales follow several years of rapid growth-in 2020. Only one of 13 car solds is zero emissions. Their share of the California market is now three times larger than four years ago.

But the slow growth rate of the market puts at risk climate goals and air pollution. According to California’s term, approved in 2022, 35% of the new 2026 car models sold by automakers must be zero emissions. This leaves significant soil to compensate when some 2026 models begin to unfold later this year.

The requirement increased to 68% for the 2030 models, and in 2035 California’s rule banned all sales of gasoline cars.

David Simpson, who owns three car dealerships in Orange County, said he did not see an increased demand for electric cars. While the initial deployment of some models, such as the GMC Hummer EV, initially did well, the search did not continue. Sales of Chevrolet Equinox and Blazer EVS are doing well, but they are also not strong, he said.

“Sales are decreasing,” Simpson said. “We have filled this gap of people who want these cars – and now they have them – and we don’t see much, huge demand. I don’t see households going 100% EV. “

Dave Klegern, a spokesman for the California Air Resources Council that runs the mandates of electric cars, said in an email that while sales of zero-emissions in California are “less dramatic than years ago”, flat sales happened in The context of complete sales of car sales last year.

Although the rules limit what car manufacturers can sell, Californians are not required to buy electric cars. This means that if consumer demand does not increase, it can be the main black eye for Gavin News Governor, who made electric cars in a cornerstone on his agenda to combat climate change and air cleaning. Newsom spokesman declined to comment.

However, the state term has some flexibility, Kleger said. First, this is a perennial formula: sales of each manufacturer from 2026 zero -emissions vehicles must be 35% of its total sales, on average for model years from 2022 to 2024.

Manufacturers can also buy loans from car manufacturers who have exceeded the target – companies that sell only electric models such as Tesla or Rivian. In order to impose compliance with sales requirements in California, civil servants may impose steep sanctions of $ 20,000 per vehicle on manufacturers who do not reach quotas.

“Manufacturers can still observe, even if they do not achieve these specific sales volumes,” Klegeren said.

Brian Maas, President of the California Association of Car Merchants, said automakers can strive to avoid fines by reducing the number of cars supplied by gas that they send to California dealers. He said this could leave less opportunities for buyers, increase prices and push some consumers to Nevada or Arizona to find the car they want while others will linger on their older, more pollution vehicles.

“We just won’t do the mandate as it is now,” so car manufacturers will have to take action, “Maas said. “The most rational is to limit the inventory.”

“We have filled this gap of people who want these cars – and now they have them – and we don’t see much, huge demand.”
David Simpson, owner of Orange County Directors

The automotive innovation alliance of the automotive industry group has triggered these concerns from at least December, when it publishes a note: “It will take a miracle: California and the states with EV sales requirements.” The group warns that the mandate can suppress car sales in California – as in other countries that accept its rules.

Last month, John Bosela, the CEO of the group, called the California rules “by any measure that are not achievable” after President Donald Trump signed an enforcement order canceling federal rules, promoting electric vehicles.

“There is a saying in the car business: you can’t overtake the customer,” Bosella said.

The US Environmental Protection Agency of the US Administration has provided California withdrawal in December, which allows the state to apply its requirements, gradually to new gas -powered vehicles. Many experts believe that the Trump administration is likely to dispute the courts.

Experts also predict that Trump can remove the $ 7500 federal tax credit for zero -emissions, which would increase the cost of buying some electric cars. NEWSOM promised last year to continue offering stimulus through state funding, although this promise came before Los Angeles came across devastating fires and the state released its fragile budget earlier this year.

The Californians have purchased more than 2 million electric cars leading the nation. The number has doubled in about two years.

But sales of electric vehicles that make up the majority of zero-emissions cars increased by only 1.1% in 2024, with 378 910 sold compared to 374 668 in 2023, remained comparatively hybrids, Once considered once a potential alternative to a purely electric model, they remain relatively relative, remain relatively applied hybrids, remain relatively with a purely electric model, remain relatively stable. And sales of hydrogen cars, but did not collapse last year, with sales fell to a sparing 600 in 2024 since 3,119 in 2023.

The more slow growth comes against the background of the total market slow, with all car sales in California tapping slightly last year to 1.752,030.

Loren McDonald, the chief analyst of the Paren charging application, said a major contribution was a change in consumer demographic data.

The state’s market came beyond the early adopters of electric cars – wealthy, environmentally friendly buyers wishing to ignore the challenges as limited charging infrastructure and higher costs – and in the main flow.

He said that these new buyers, often from medium-sized households or who live in residential buildings without easy access to charging, are far less forgiving as far as electric cars are concerned. Concerns about the range, violated chargers and advance costs are transactions breakers.

Tesla’s market domination has exacerbated the problem. Many left -wing users in California, who were once loyal to Tesla, seem to have distanced themselves because of the controversial public person of the CEO Elon Musk and the Union with Trump.

Since Tesla sales have softened, dropping 11% in California last year, the decline has disabled overall EV registration data in California due to the company’s significant market share, McDonald said.

The accessibility remains a decisive obstacle, although McDonald sees signs of improvement. Automobile manufacturers increase production, which has led to competitive prices and aggressive leasing deals – much under $ 400 a month.

But major users are largely unaware that electric vehicles offer long-term fuel and maintenance savings, McDonald said, adding that better education is needed to convince consumers to take a jump, especially when the prices of electric cars are all They approach parity with gas vehicles.

McDonald remains optimistic about 2025. The market will benefit from new electric models at a price of less than $ 50,000 and technological progress, such as faster charging and vehicle power.

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