California Electric Car Sales: Trends, Market Share, Key Models, and Insights

California Electric Car Sales: Trends, Market Share, Key Models, and Insights

usa.carrosaz.com.br brings you the definitive breakdown of the California electric vehicle (EV) market in early 2025. From Tesla’s declining dominance to rapid growth of luxury and non-Tesla brands—this guide covers sales data, market share shifts, top-selling models, FAQs, and what it all means for consumers.

Electric Vehicle Market at a Glance

• In Q1 2025, 100,326 zero-emission vehicles were registered in California—representing 23% of all new car sales InsideEVs+3California Energy Commission+3Los Angeles Times+3.

• Despite Tesla’s sharp decline, EV registrations grew, with non‑Tesla EVs up 14% year‑over‑yearCalifornia Energy CommissionCarscoops.

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• Over 30% of new ZEVs sold nationally are purchased in CaliforniaCalifornia Energy Commission+1Reddit+1.

  

Market Share Breakdown

Recent EV Market Trends

• Tesla’s California market share dropped from 60.1% in 2023 to 52.5% in 2024, then fell further to the low 40s by Q1 2025 (≈43%)Carscoops+1Carscoops+1.

• Meanwhile, Cadillac’s EV registrations surged roughly 60% year-over-year in California, supported by increased model options like Lyriq, Escalade IQ, Optiq, and VistiqBusiness Insider.

• In early 2025, Tesla registrations declined by 15.1%, while overall EV sales increased by 7.3%Axios+13Business Insider+13Carscoops+13.

Top-Selling Electric Models in California (2024)

1. Tesla Model Y – ~128,923 units

2. Tesla Model 3 – ~53,056 units

3. Hyundai Ioniq 5 – ~16,879

4. Ford Mustang Mach-E – ~10,874

5. Tesla Cybertruck – ~9,019

6. Rivian R1S – ~8,721

7. Tesla Model X – ~8,585

8. BMW i4 – ~8,396

9. Honda Prologue – ~6,955

10. BMW iX – ~6,027Wikipedia+3Carscoops+3wolfstreet.com+3

FAQ – What Californians Want to Know

Q: Why is Tesla’s dominance slipping in California?
A: Increased competition from Hyundai, Cadillac, BMW, Ford, and Kia; outdated model lineup; political backlash against Musk have all contributedBusiness InsiderSan Francisco Chronicle.

Q: Is EV adoption slowing in California?
A: Growth has plateaued recently. EV share rose incrementally from ~21.5% in 2023 to ~25.3% in 2024, but still falls short of the state’s 35% mandate for 2026San Francisco Chronicle+3EV Marketplace MOTORWATT+3Los Angeles Times+3.

Q: Are Cadillac EVs really converting Tesla owners?
A: Yes — about 10–15% of Cadillac EV customers are former Tesla owners, particularly driven by the Lyriq and Escalade IQ modelsBusiness Insider.

Q: How robust is California’s charging infrastructure?
A: There are now over 150,000 public charging stations, including ~15,000 fast chargers, with over 94% of Californians living within 10 minutes of a chargerCalifornia Energy Commission.

Expert Insights

• Despite Tesla’s decline, California remains a global EV leader — accounting for about 31% of U.S. EV sales in 2024San Francisco Chronicle+3CleanTechnica+3Carscoops+3.

• Plug-in vehicles (BEV + PHEV) totalled nearly 440,000 registrations in 2023, representing nearly 25% of all new cars in CaliforniaBusiness Insider+3InsideEVs+3EVMagz+3.

• As Tesla loses share, non-Tesla EVs experienced a 19% year‑over‑year jump in Q4 2024, surpassing Tesla’s quarterly volume for the first timewolfstreet.com.

Conclusion

Tesla remains the leader in California’s electric vehicle market, but its grip is loosening. Consumers are flocking to competitors offering fresh designs, new models, and trust in non-Tesla brands. With evolving state mandates and infrastructure growth, the EV ecosystem is diversifying—and accelerating—across California.

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