Featured California car sales

Europe is looking great. Increase by 85% for the year .... at least when manufacturers the ICE.

In May 2019, Plug-In Electric Car Sales In Europe Exceeded 36,000
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only 49 states to go!

 

Thanks in large part to having the highest average gas prices in the nation. I wonder what the psychological tipping point is in gas prices that would make the average ICE car buyer to look at electric propulsion vehicles.

 

Not sure the sales are sustainable.
Don't forget we had a "triple withcing" over there in Ca., with changes to HoV rules forcing plug-in drivers to get new wheels if they want to keep the free HOV. Also we had the much hyped intrioduction of Model-3 which after all is a Ca car, and the reduction of Fed benefits.

On other hand, CARB has pledged to do everything in their power to make plug-ins work. That preseumably includes conitnued incentives, mandates, and for petrol cars including hybrids punitve taxes and I presume bans if necessary. So I make no predictions, except I see a rocky road in the non-Blue states if Dems try to mandate Ca on all of us

 

I’m not quite sure how the HOV lanes work in CA metro areas. But, If just buying a particular type of vehicle gives you a free pass too access, eventually the HOV will just become another congested Traffic lane. The incentive eventually loses it’s benefit after a while. And, given that CA vehicles have longer life expectancy that than say a vehicle in the Midwest. The attrition rate in CA can be much longer. Ten to twenty years worth of older vehicles getting to have the access eventually will fill the lanes.

 

not at all so. Prius gen 1&2 got YELLOW hov stickers with FULL knowledge of expiration date. Gub.'ment upped the ante w/yellow expiration - then we went w/new GREEN stickers (now expired) for plugin only required. Now it's red & purple, for plugs primarily - w/red expiring a year earlier. Other rules too, for EV, CNG & fool cel. But generally, by requiring newer cars privileges ONLY, cleanliness & electric ranges keep going up, as HOV (ab)users shed older cars - & open up the used market for those who can't afford new.
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What are the white ones? I actually see them out here.

 

The Model 3 was introduced in CA 2 years ago.
The reduction in the federal benefits were half of the drop between the second half of 2018 and the first half of 2019. I am sure that will have some affect, but minor compared to the affect at the beginning of the year.

 

white were the 'other' rules .... for CNG, EV & hydrogen. They lasted for many years, but now they too (older cars) only fall under purple or red, & only if they're new or one yr old. White have expired. There is a trick. If you buy an older plugin car, from out of state, you can still get the purple/newest stickers that have the most distant expiration date.

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Ok, thanks. The last time I was over at the Chevy dealer, there were a couple of Volts that had them.

 

I hear all above, tell me this: how many plug-ins on the road out there, in other words, how long are the plug-ins lasting in USA before export? I heard one figure 75% of all plug-ins on the road are in Ca, but not sure. But that would say a lot of the plug-ins are gone.

 

Any references??
Everything I have heard indicates California is the strongest market in the USA for plugin sales.
However, I believe it is closer to 50%, not 75%.

As per Wikipedia, California through the end of 2018 has just under 50% of the cumulative plug-in vehicle sales in the USA. The USA was the third biggest market worldwide with Europe and China selling more.

Here is the link, seems the image didn't work.

Plug-in electric vehicles in California - Wikipedia

I don't see what California's purchase rate of PHEV&BEVs has to do with how long they are on the roads??

 

USA and Local National Gas Station Price Heat Map - GasBuddy.com

 

Some Tesla's now have over 300K miles, & the highest mileage Chevy Volt on the road now has 468K miles. Side note, the Volt owner says it was running Flawless over 400k Miles - no discernible capacity loss - when it got hit by a semi. Cost $7K to repair, but it's just not the same.
As for the amount of plug-ins residing in California, that makes sense because we have the highest gas prices. Why buy gas if you can charge electrons off of your own rooftop..... Passing multiple Chevron stations just yesterday, I see their premium is going for $4.05
no thanks

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Sparkie the Volt was sold at 477,625 miles and has a new owner in Canada, who fixed it. The battery was tested and is at a 20% capacity loss.

 

I don’t use the price of premium as a deciding factor. It does make for good sensationalism though. When the cheapest fuel you can possibly purchase is $4.05. That’s what makes a person look at the alternatives, since the vast majority of vehicles on the road just burn minimum grade fuels.

 

(sigh) sorry ... many here might not know that it's all about what certain individuals alone use as a deciding factor - so here's regular gas too, just a couple counties to the north of us.;

none of that premium sensationalism necessary

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Must be the Bay Area! It’s interesting to see the spread from reg to premium is only 20 cents.

In my area the spread is 71 cents. Regular is $2.54 premium $3.25.

 

At that price spread, premium in the Sonic was worth it.
The difference was usually twice that here, back when I was testing the different octanes.