California’s market share of alternative fuel vehicles remains strong, but in-state sales fell last year.
More than 156,000 electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell cars were sold in California last year. That’s down from 178,000 the year before.
The numbers were compiled by Veloz, a collection of transportation-linked industries that tallied the numbers.
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Even though sales numbers are down slightly, California’s share of the electric vehicle market remained strong, according to Veloz Executive Director Josh Boone.
The decline happened as California rolled back how much state money was available to encourage residents to buy electric cars.
“There is a strong desire to see that the upfront cost incentives are there for consumers as we try to bridge the gap between where we are today on costs and where we anticipate being in just a few short years,” Boone said.
California's financial incentives, Boone said, are essential to driving traffic to EV dealers.
Boone said interest will also grow as carmakers advertise their new EV products.
