Electric Cars are Booming Everywhere. Except the US

Electric Cars are Booming Everywhere. Except the US

By Forest Olson

When asked to imagine the future of transportation, often we think of electric cars. This electric future is looking more and more like the present across the world.

Except in the United States.

The driver of this electric boom is China, where EVs now account for 65% of car sales. Europe is also taking huge steps forward in the EV industry. 80% of Denmark's car sales are electric. The United Kingdom, Germany, and France's EV sales have all jumped by over 10% since 2024.

In the United States, just 10% of the cars we sell are electric.

As gas prices continue to skyrocket, this seems somewhat surprising. Per AAA, the average price of gas in the US is $4.14. Meanwhile, charging an EV costs just 0.42 per kilowatt hour, according to AAA. That means the average American would pay roughly $65 - $170 per month for charging.

The main thing holding Americans back from buying EVs is the price. On average, an EV costs around $10,000 more than a comparable gas counterpart. Despite state efforts to promote EVs, 63% of Americans said they are unlikely or very unlikely to buy a fully electric vehicle.

Another huge factor is charging infrastructure. While modern EVs do have impressive range compared to those from a decade ago, with limited charging stations, road trips take real planning.

All this, combined with a perceived (but unproven) safety risk, means that the United States is not seeing the same EV uptick as the rest of the world. Together with the Trump administration's policies on climate, the US is only enforcing its appearance as a climate villain.

Think about the effects on the environment when you purchase your next car. 

Thanks for reading.
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