Electric car statistics: Market share and sales

How big will the EV industry be in 2030?

Updated

Jul 10, 2023

Fact checked

With increasing concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, the electric vehicle industry is booming as people look to travel more sustainably. People are increasingly choosing electric cars and even backing the industry by using trading platforms to invest in companies like Tesla.

We look at the latest statistics for the electric vehicle industry, including current and forecast sales, market share and the number of charging stations.

Quick overview

1 in 7 (14%) new cars sold globally were electric in 2022.
Globally, it is expected that 36% of all new car sales will be electric by 2030.
Global EV sales are forecast to reach 36.9 million in 2030.
Almost a quarter (23%) of new cars sold in the UK were electric in 2022.
Brits were 64% more likely to buy an EV than the global average in 2022.
As of June 2023, there are over 1.3 million electric and hybrid cars on UK roads.
Global EV sales are forecast to reach 14 million in 2023, up 37% from 2022.
Global EV sales are forecast to reach 36.9 million by 2030, up 1140% from 2020.
Tesla Model Y was the most popular EV in 2022, with 771,300 sales globally.
BYD Auto has overtaken Tesla to have the biggest EV market share in 2023.

Global electric vehicle sales

Global EV sales are forecast to reach 14 million in 2023, up 37% from 10.2 million sales in 2022. The number of EVs sold in the UK grew steadily between 2013 and 2020 and then more rapidly between 2020 and 2022.

Graph
Table

Year	EV sales (global)
2013	201000
2014	330000
2015	550000
2016	750000
2017	1180000
2018	2050000
2019	2080000
2020	2970000
2021	6500000
2022	10200000
2023*	14000000

How many electric cars are sold in the UK?

In 2022, 370,000 electric cars were sold in the UK, an increase of 19% from 2021. This is also 100 times more than the number of electric cars sold in 2013, when just 3,700 electric cars were sold.

Graph
Table

Year	EV sales (UK)
2013	3700
2014	14500
2015	29000
2016	39000
2017	49000
2018	62000
2019	75000
2020	178000
2021	310000
2022	370000

How many electric cars are on UK roads?

As of June 2023, there are over 1.3 million electric cars on UK roads, up from almost 84,867 in 2016, which is an increase of almost 1500%. The number of fully electric cars on UK roads (816,668) is now higher than the number of hybrid electric cars (511,921).

Graph
Table

Year	Battery electric vehicles	Hybrid electric vehicles	Total
2016	30,699	54,168	84,867
2017	44,266	87,705	131,971
2018	59,740	131,976	191,716
2019	97,565	166,921	264,486
2020	205,770	233,798	439,568
2021	396,497	348,352	744,849
2022	663,700	449,766	1,113,466
2023	816,668	511,921	1,328,589

EV sales forecast

Demand for electric cars is expected to continue growing worldwide after 2023 and is forecast to reach a total of 36.9 million sales globally by 2030. If achieved, this would be an increase of 1140% from 10 years prior in 2020.

Graph
Table

Year	Total EV sales in millions (units)
2020	2970000
2025*	20500000
2030*	36900000

What percentage of new car sales are electric?

Globally, electric cars accounted for 14% of new car sales in 2022, up from 8.7% in 2021. Projections suggest that, by 2030, electric cars will account for 36% of car sales. In the UK, electric car sales accounted for 23% of new car sales in 2022, 9% higher than the global average of 14%.

The big uptake in UK residents purchasing electric cars is most likely due to the ban on new ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles that is now coming into place in 2030. This ban will stop the sale of any new cars that rely solely on fossil fuels to run, encouraging more people to choose electric cars.

Graph
Table

Year	EV sales as percentage share (UK)	EV sales as percentage share (World)
2013	0.17%	0.27%
2014	0.60%	0.43%
2015	1.10%	0.70%
2016	1.40%	0.89%
2017	1.90%	1.40%
2018	2.60%	2.30%
2019	3.20%	2.60%
2020	11.00%	4.20%
2021	19.00%	8.70%
2022	23.00%	14.00%

How many cars will be EVs in the future?

Globally, 36% of all new car sales are expected to be electric by 2030. By 2025, projections suggest that 23% of new cars sold will be EVs.

Graph
Table

Year	Other car sales as a percentage share	EV sales as percentage share (global)
2020	95.80%	4.20%
2025*	77%	23%
2030*	64%	36%

Projections suggest that China will still lead the way in the EV market in 2030, with a market share of 40%. The US is expected to double its current market share to reach 20% by the end of the decade, while Europe is expected to maintain its current 25% share. The other smaller markets will make up the remaining 15% by 2030.

Graph
Table

Region	Percentage
China	40%
Europe	25%
United States	20%
Other	15%

In 2023, the Chinese company BYD Auto has the largest market share with 21%. They are followed by Tesla with 16% and Volkswagen with 7% of the market share, although other manufacturers still account for 56% of sales in 2023.

Graph

What is the most popular electric car globally?

Globally, the bestselling electric car in 2022 was the Tesla Model Y, which had roughly 771,300 sales worldwide. This was followed by the BYD Song Plus, the Tesla Model 3, the Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV and the BYD Qin Plus.

Graph
Table

Model	Number of units sold in 2022
1. Tesla Model Y	771,300
2. BYD Song Plus	477,090
3. Tesla Model 3	476,340
4. Wuling Hong Guang MINI EV	424,030
5. BYD Qin Plus	315,240

What is the most popular electric car in the UK?

The most popular electric car in the UK in 2022 was also the Tesla Model Y, which sold over 35,000 units. This was followed by the Tesla Model 3, which sold 19,071 units, and the Kia e-Niro, which sold 11,197 units.

Graph
Table

Model	Number of units sold in 2022
1. Tesla Model Y	35,551
2. Tesla Model 3	19,071
3. Kia e-Niro	11,197
4. Volkswagen ID.3	9,832
5. Nissan Leaf	9,178

How do consumers feel about electric cars in 2023?

Many consumers are new to electric cards, and according to a survey, 42% of respondents purchased their EVs within the last year and over 67% within the last 2 years.

The increasing number of charge points across Europe has also increased people’s confidence in electric vehicles as they can charge their cars more regularly. The graph below shows the change in people’s concerns over charging between 2022 and 2023.

Graph
Table

Response	2022	2023
I don’t need to charge on a daily basis	21%	47%
I charge my EV as soon as I get home	28%	23%
I charge my EV at a later time	10%	13%

However, many drivers in Europe still don’t have access to a private charging point in their homes, which demonstrates the increasing need for governments to roll out EV charging stations as quickly as possible. This will allow more people to drive with confidence and encourage more drivers to choose an EV for their next car!

Graph
Table

Charge point used	Percentage
Private home charge point	56
Public access charge point	16
Standard plug socket	15
Unable to charge at home	7
Private communal charge point	3

Sources used

International Energy Agency
GOV UK
Shell EV Driver Survey Report 2023
SMMT
Driving Electric
Statista
Counterpoint Research

There is no doubt that electric vehicles (EVs) will change the landscape of the automotive industry within the next decade, and EV stocks are extremely popular with those on investing platforms too.

The EV market is already bringing some exciting changes to how we move about, making all our lives a little greener. Here are the latest electric vehicle statistics and a summary of how the electric vehicle industry is projected to grow by 2030.

Quick overview

EV sales are forecast to reach 31.1 million (32% market share) by 2030
EV sales are projected to grow 900% from 2020 to 2030
China is projected to have 49% of the global EV market share in 2030
Tesla aims to produce 20 million vehicles per year by 2030
EV sales grew 43% in 2020 by 3.1 million, which is 4.86% of total vehicles sold worldwide
There are over 10 million registered EVs worldwide
Tesla Model 3 was the most sold EV in 2020, with 350,000 sold worldwide
EV registrations grew 112% from March 2020 to March 2021 in the UK
The most popular electric car in the UK is the Mitsubishi Outlander, with 51,730 vehicles in 2020

Industry projections for 2030

Future sale forecast

Analyst projections place EVs as a dominant force in the global car market by 2030. Global EV sales with a compound annual growth rate of 29% over the next 10 years are even forecast to reach 31.1 million (32% total market share). These projections are related to the billions invested by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to deliver the EV future in conjunction with governments across the world incentivising green transport.

Graph
Table

Years	Total EV sales in millions ($)
2020	2500000
2025	11200000
2030	31000000

Differences by major region

With many governments incentivising their population to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, EVs are forecast to be a mainstream option in the market. China is expected to have 49% of the global share of EVs, with Europe (27%) and the US (14%) following. The market share within their domestic markets, China (48%), Europe (42%) and USA (27%), will have increased considerably, with the current global stock for EVs being 7.2 million in 2021 and growing by 23.9 million by 2030.

Graph
Table

Regions	Percentage market share
China	49%
Europe	27%
USA	14%
Rest of the world	10%

Bestselling EV models

It comes as no surprise that Tesla is driving the shift towards EVs, with Elon Musk ambitiously announcing it aims to produce 20 million cars per year by 2030 (as of 2021, Tesla produces 300,000 new cars per year). German car manufacturer BMW wants to electrify its European market by 50% and VW aims to have over 70 new electric models, meaning 40% of global sales could be EVs. Mazda plans for all car models to either be EV or hybrid by 2030, with Honda forecasting two-thirds of its global sales to be from EVs.

Past growth of EV vehicles

Past years of EV sales

EVs sales grew 43% in 2020 (3.1 million). In comparison, overall industry sales dropped by over a fifth in 2020, most likely an effect of the coronavirus pandemic. Internal combustion engine (ICE) cars continued to dominate the market, with 63.8 million vehicles sold worldwide in 2020, while EVs made up just 4.86% of total vehicles sold across the globe in 2020.

Graph
Table

Year	EV units sold
2015	580,000
2016	800,000
2017	1,260,000
2018	2,090,000
2019	2,170,000
2020	3,100,000

Differences by major region

The global amount of EVs stood at 10.2 million in 2020. China is the largest EV market in the world, with 4.5 million of the global stock, which saw a 43% increase in 2020 compared to 2019. This is over 44% of the total global EV stock. Europe owns the second largest share of the global stock at 3.2 million, notably with an 83% annual increase from 2019 to 2020. This is driven by markets such as Norway, with its domestic market share being 55% of all cars being EV. The US owns 1.15 million of the global stock but saw a 2% decrease in sales from 2019 to 2020, against the global trend of EV sales increasing.

Europe saw the largest growth in 2020 from 2019 over all other regions, with an 83% increase in sales for EVs. China’s already popular EV market grew by 17%, whereas the US saw a slight decrease of 2%. The rest of the world increased by 22%, highlighting that not only these regions are seeing a shift towards the electric car.

Graph
Table

Region	Global share
China	44.12%
Europe	31.37%
USA	11.25%
Rest of the world	13.26%

Most popular models

The Tesla Model 3 (£42,000) is the most popular electric car being bought, with over 350,000 sales alone in 2020, almost triple the Wuling HongGuang Mini EV (£3,200) at 119,000, an EV that the Chinese government offers free licence plates for all new purchasers. French manufacturer Renault Zoe (£28,795) is the third most popular EV at 100,000 sold. This is the most popular EV in Europe, where the car saw a 118% increase in sales from 2019. Tesla appeared again with its Model Y (£35,000), which sold 80,000 units, and with Hyundai Kona Electric (£24,995) in fifth with 65,000.

Graph
Table

Bestselling models	Units sold
Tesla Model 3	365,000
Wuling HongGuang Mini EV	119,000
Renalt Zoe	100,000
Tesla Model Y	80,000
Hyundai Kona Electric	65,000

EVs in the UK

EV ownership in the UK

In the UK, new EV registrations grew 112% from March 2020 to March 2021. There are over 245,000 pure electric and over 515,000 plug-in models on our roads, which is an increase of 175,000 more EVs in the UK and 66% growth since 2019.

The most popular EVs in the UK vary from the most popular models sold worldwide. The Mitsubishi Outlander (plug-in hybrid) is the bestselling model in the UK (51,730 sold), followed by the Nissan Leaf (battery-powered) in second place with over 41,000 vehicles sold. Tesla Model 3 is placed third in 2020 with 32,000, ahead of the BMW 3 Series (over 27,000) and Renault Zoe with over 17,000.

Graph
Table

Models	EV Models sold
Mitsubishi Outlander	51,730
Nissan Leaf	41,587
Tesla Model 3	32,848
BMW 3 Series	27,869
Renault Zoe	17,086
BMW i3	15,102

Consumer priorities and thoughts on EV vehicles

When consumers were polled about EV adoption in 2020, driving range capacity was the biggest concern in Germany (33%) and France (28%). Respondents in the US (25%), Japan (29%), South Korea (32%), China (20%) and India (26%) all cite lack of charging infrastructure as top priority. Manufacturers are making the conscious effort to overcome these consumer perceptions to drive sales and their own business objectives.

How many Brits plan to use an electric vehicle?

EV intentions by generation

Unexpectedly, young drivers aren’t necessarily the most worried about the environmental impact of their vehicle. 58% of drivers over 55 are planning to “go green”, against only 38% of 18- to 24-year-olds. A fifth of (21%) drivers over 55 want to get rid of their vehicle or avoid buying a new one for environmental reasons.

Electric cars are most popular among 25- to 34-year-old drivers, with 16% saying they want to buy one next time. The generation of drivers which is least likely to take the green path is that of 35- to 44-year-olds (37%).

Generational
Table

Age	Drivers making greener decisions (by choosing hybrids, electric vehicles or getting rid for environmental reasons)
18-24	38.1%
25-34	43.4%
35-44	37.4%
45-54	41.6%
55+	57.8%

EV intentions by region

Which British region has the most environmentally friendly drivers? The North West tops the chart. Almost three-fifths (59%) of local drivers here say they will opt for a hybrid or an electric vehicle or ditch their vehicles altogether for environmental reasons. London follows suit with 56%. The capital also has the highest percentage of drivers (23%) planning to buy an electric car in the foreseeable future. Chances are it has something to do with the congestion charge and the plans to expand the ultra-low emission zone to more areas of the city by the end of 2021. Wales comes last, with only 32% of drivers currently planning to “go green”.

Regional
Table

Region	Percentage
East of England	32.1%
East Midlands	38.8%
London	55.6%
North East	42.2%
North West	58.7%
Northern Ireland	52.8%
Scotland	34.1%
South East	36.5%
South West	43.1%
Wales	31.7%
West Midlands	40.0%
Yorshire and the Humber	32.8%

Sources used

Deloitte
BloombergNEF
International Energy Agency
Statista
Nextgreencar

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For all media enquiries, please contact

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T: +44 20 8191 8806

Thank you for your feedback!

Danny Butler

Danny is a publisher at Finder specialising in insurance and investing. He previously worked at the global insurer Aon and has appeared in national media giving advice on insurance. Danny holds a BA in International Business from the University of Plymouth and has undying loyalty to his average-poor football team, Portsmouth FC.

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Electric car statistics: Market share and sales

How big will the EV industry be in 2030?

Quick overview

Global electric vehicle sales

How many electric cars are sold in the UK?

How many electric cars are on UK roads?

EV sales forecast

What percentage of new car sales are electric?

How many cars will be EVs in the future?

2030 predicted EV market share by region

EV market share by company

What is the most popular electric car globally?

What is the most popular electric car in the UK?

How do consumers feel about electric cars in 2023?

Sources used

EV statistics: 2021 research

For all media enquiries, please contact

Danny Butler

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