Last year, 2018, will certainly go down as a landmark year in the history of the electric car.
It wasn’t long ago that most Americans (except our small, motivated community of EV enthusiasts) considered personal ownership of electric car a complete non-starter or had no idea that electric cars were available. That’s changed considerably, especially this year, with the launch of the Tesla Model 3 and the sale of the one millionth plug-in electric car in America. There are now over a million Americans with firsthand EV ownership experience. Millions more Americans have been exposed to electric cars through a friend or family member’s decision to go electric. To be fair, we have a long way to go before all Americans are aware of the benefits of driving an EV, but we’ve come so far. EV ownership suddenly doesn’t seem so far fetched, and America is slowly waking up to the fact that driving electric is not only cheaper, but better. What’s more, all of these new (and old) EV owners are excited to share their experiences with the public, and did so this year at a record-breaking 321 National Drive Electric Week events.
The sheer number of Americans exposed to electric cars has changed the conversation from “There are electric cars available?” to “Which electric car is right for me?” Plug In America has taken a huge step forward in answering that question this year with the introduction of the PlugStar EV Shopping Assistant. This new platform takes prospective EV buyers through all the steps necessary to find the right EV for them and get ready for EV ownership. PlugStar also puts customers in contact with PlugStar-certified dealerships to ensure a positive, streamlined sales process that sets up new electric car drivers for success.
What to expect in the new year
With over one million EVs on the road today (and over 300,000 of those sold in 2018), it is likely that 2019 could see a half-million more EVs on the road. There are new, long-range battery electric SUVs hitting the market this coming year, electrifying the fastest growing car segment, and reinforcing the new standard for all-electric range of over 200 miles per charge. Meanwhile, Tesla Model 3 sales are expected to continue to thrive as the company fills a backlog of over 400,000 orders. By this time next year, we might be closing in on two million electric cars on America’s roads.
Thanks to your support, Plug In America will be continue educating Americans about the many benefits of driving electric in 2019. September’s National Drive Electric Week continues to grow each year and in April, we’re launching the first Drive Electric Earth Day, which promises even more opportunities for the public to learn about clean, safe, fun electric vehicles. We will also work with the new Congress and in state capitals to ensure our elected officials are responsive to EV drivers. And our PlugStar team is working on new tools to assist current and future EV drivers, so stay tuned.
Thank you for making 2018 a milestone year and here’s to a bright, electric future!
