California Tops A Quarter-Million Electric Vehicles Sold - Passes "Magic" 1/2 of 1 Percent

At this rate we'll have air pollution whipped by, oh, the 24th century? Yippe!

• EDITOR'S Note: Of course if anyone in California government was really serious about solving air pollution and air borne problems then they would drop the electric car charade and direct all efforts and budgets to significantly increasing the use of ethanol in the 25 million vehicles registered in California. This would have dramatic, immediate health benefits, while stimulating the economy.

SACRAMENTO - November 14, 2016: As the L.A. Auto Show shines the spotlight on a new generation of more powerful and less expensive electric cars, the California Plug- In Electric Vehicle Collaborative announces a major milestone in Golden State transportation history: according to projections, more than 250,000 plug-in electric cars will be sold this month in California since they hit the market in 2010.

“Just a few years ago, you could count the number of plug-in models on one hand. Times have changed,” said PEV Collaborative Executive Director Christine Kehoe. “Today, anyone thinking about buying a car can check out more than 30 electric models. And with federal and state rebates, they are more affordable than ever.”

Especially promising are upcoming models from carmakers including Chevrolet, Nissan, Tesla and others that will exceed 200 miles on a charge and cost around $35,000 (with incentives). Options like these tackle two common concerns among potential buyers: affordability and “range anxiety.”

“We’re proud that the Chevrolet Volt is the number one selling plug-in vehicle in the country, helping California reach this important milestone,” said Steve Majoros, Marketing Director, Chevrolet Cars and Crossovers. “The 2017 Chevy Bolt EV – the first EV capable of 238 miles of range and offered at an affordable price – will arrive in Chevy showrooms this year and provides an ideal option for even more buyers to purchase an electric vehicle.”

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BMW Group, which has earned critical praise for its innovative fully electric i3, will offer a total of seven models in the U.S. by spring of next year with an electric drivetrain or as plug-in hybrids. The company has also announced plans to electrify all of its brands and model series, including an electric SUV for the 2020 model year.

“We are quite serious when we say we build the ultimate driving machine and that includes the ongoing roll-out of sustainable technology,” said Frank Breust, Vice President Government and External Affairs at BMW of North America.

“BMW Group is now entering the second-phase of electro-mobility by enlarging the scope of full electrification to our core brands, MINI and BMW.”

Nissan, who’s LEAF surpassed 100,000 sales at the national level earlier this month, is looking forward to launching the next-gen model that will go 200-miles on a single charge.

“Mass-market electric vehicles are here to stay and the number of LEAF customers in California confirms that,” said Brian Maragno, director, Nissan EV Sales and Marketing. “We’re working every day to expand the charging infrastructure for the increasing number of EVs on the road. Furthermore, our ‘Infrastructure for All’ initiative ensures new charging locations are available to EVs with all fast-charge connections.”

Along with growing consumer demand, California’s clean car programs are credited with helping spur electric vehicle innovation and have encouraged automakers to invest in next-generation electric car technology.

“Californians can take pride in driving the nation toward a zero-emission future,” said Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols. “A widespread shift to zero- emission vehicles is technologically feasible and economically sensible. It will clean our air and protect our climate.”

“Transitioning to cars with no tailpipe pollution and incentivizing the infrastructure that supports them will help California meet climate change goals and federal clean air standards,” said Energy Commissioner Janea A. Scott, who also serves as the chair of the PEVC. “PEV Collaborative member coordination and leadership have played a significant role in helping California meet the milestone we are celebrating today of 250,000 electric vehicles sold to date.”

The California Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative is a public/private organization focused on accelerating the adoption of PEVs to meet California’s economic, energy and environmental goals.Using the expertise of each member, the PEV Collaborative convenes, collaborates and communicates on emerging PEV market trends and works to address challenges and enable strong PEV market growth.