September 1st, 2024

The EV evolution is going to take longer than we thought

The U.S. electric vehicle market is slowing, with 1.2 million sales projected by 2024. High prices, depreciation, and inconsistent charging infrastructure hinder growth, while hybrids affect battery-electric vehicle sales.

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The EV evolution is going to take longer than we thought

The electric vehicle (EV) market is experiencing a slower evolution than previously anticipated, despite an increase in sales. While Tesla's sales have declined and other automakers like Ford and General Motors are scaling back their EV initiatives, JD Power projects that 1.2 million EVs will be sold in the U.S. by the end of 2024, marking a 9% share of total vehicle sales. This is a decrease from earlier predictions of 12%. The market is currently characterized by volatility, with hybrids and plug-in hybrids gaining popularity, which is affecting pure battery-electric vehicle sales. High prices for EVs, averaging over $56,000, and rapid depreciation rates are also significant barriers for consumers. Charging infrastructure remains inconsistent, particularly for those living in multi-unit housing. Tesla continues to dominate the market, complicating discussions about overall EV trends. However, the introduction of more affordable models from various manufacturers may shift the landscape. The Biden administration's investments in public charging infrastructure could improve the charging experience. The industry faces challenges, including potential changes in tax incentives and the need for automakers to adapt their strategies to meet consumer demands for more affordable options.

- EV sales are projected to reach 1.2 million in the U.S. by the end of 2024.

- The popularity of hybrids is impacting pure battery-electric vehicle sales.

- High prices and rapid depreciation of EVs are significant consumer barriers.

- Charging infrastructure remains inconsistent, especially for apartment dwellers.

- Tesla's market dominance complicates the overall EV sales narrative.

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By @Animats - 4 months
This is too US-centric. Here's some data for other regions.[1] Worldwide, about 20% of new cars are electric. The EU and UK are above 20%. The US is only around 10%. China is at 40% and climbing rapidly. The advanced countries are going electric rapidly. So are countries willing to import large numbers of cars from China.

[1] https://ourworldindata.org/electric-car-sales

By @trhway - 4 months
The current 21700 batteries is something like 250Wh/kg (just shy of Tesla's 270Wh/kg or so) and cost (looking at AliExpress) $125/KWh retail. So a current Chinese car with 50-100KWh has 200-400Kg battery at the cost of $6000-12000 (and if that 100KWh battery with typical sustained 4C (ie. 400KW power), peak 10C, is paired with a 400-600KW electric engine under $15-20K - that is luxury/exotic car territory). Comparing to ICE drivetrain there is only one conclusion - the ICE is inevitably going to be pushed out of the mainstream into a niche player ( even Formula-1 is hybrid already).

The US tariffs will delay that a bit, yet the writing is on the wall - nobody can go against such an economic paradigm shift.

By @fpoling - 4 months
The article mentioned that plug-in hybrids slow down pure EV transition. But that is kind of expected.

It is strictly cheaper to make a car that can drive on a battery 30 km and then switch to gasoline than a pure EV that can drive 500 km and it will be so for few more years.

By @megaman821 - 4 months
I think we have already reached an inflection point. The automakers may be able to protect their US auto share gas vehicles for years to come, but what do their finances look like when everywhere else goes electric? Can they service their debt in a market where the share of gas cars goes down every year from here on out?
By @xnx - 4 months
Article doesn't even mention 100% US tariffs on imports of Chinese vehicles.
By @bearjaws - 4 months
I was hoping on this would be a deep dive on how energy delivery wouldn't be able to keep up with demand.

I've been wondering how we could ever handle everyone plugging in a 1-10kwh charger at home every night for potentially hours. Think about charging a fleet of Rivian delivery vans...

Not to mention the insane chargers required for semi-trucks.

By @dirtdobber - 4 months
I own a EV and I love it. But it was pretty expensive (60K+) and from what I've seen, the trade-in value for my car is effectively half of what I bought it for after just 1 year of ownership.

I'm not complaining too much since I plan to keep this car until the wheels fall off anyways, but it does seem like the accelerated depreciation of EVs versus gasoline cars is a good reason not to buy at the moment.

EDIT: I should clarify, my vehicle is a PHEV. I couldn't commit to giving up gasoline given the added convenience of being able to quickly fill up on gas for long road trips. That being said, I drive less than 10K miles a year and probably only use ~1 tank of gas every 2 months.

By @SubiculumCode - 4 months
I love my Bolt EUV, and I don't even need a fast charger to maintain my daily commute. Its always sitting at a nice 150 miles in the tank (about 60% charge, to not stress the battery). Since I own the solar that came with my house, the charging is ultra cheap, if not effectively zero...I know that its practically paying that car payment for all the gasoline I'm not buying.
By @jmclnx - 4 months
If in the US you want EV adoption, raise Gas Prices a lot, maybe double/triple them. Then you will see adoption.

Subsidizes will never work, cost is the main d river. Fossil Fuel vehicles are still looked as cheaper and always will be until the cost hits the pocket book.

Plus the cost of new EVs should be less than fossil fuel cars.