This article is part of our “Chart of the Week” series.
Electric vehicles may be struggling to find buyers in the U.S. — but they’re making inroads elsewhere.
A record-breaking 28% of new cars sold this year will be battery-powered, according to new data from the International Energy Agency. That’s a big deal: Driving around in gas-guzzling vehicles spews tons of planet-warming and health-harming pollution into the atmosphere.
The latest projections come even as the Trump administration’s attacks on electric vehicles stymie sales in the U.S., the world’s second-largest car market. The country is a massive laggard when it comes to EV adoption, with electric models making up just around 10% of new car sales. New EV sales are expected to decline for the second year in a row in the U.S., though used models are surging in popularity.
But outside the U.S., the picture is very different. The clearest example of that contrast is China, the world’s biggest car market and the global leader in electric vehicle and battery manufacturing. Nearly 60% of cars sold in China this year will be electrified.
