U.S. PEV sales growth 2013-2021

Sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) rose by over double 2020 volumes in 2021. This inflation stands out compared to 2020 sales, which were slow to recover amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. PEV sales have seen a tremendous surge, increasing almost seven-fold over nine years to reach 668,600 sales in 2021. Tesla remains the most successful electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer in the United States, largely thanks to its incredibly popular Model 3.

New grid storage

The term plug-in electric vehicles refers to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). PEV registrations account for only a small share of the U.S. market as of now, but the growing number of electric vehicles running on energy tapped from the U.S. electricity grid will likely drive up electricity demand. For many countries, including the United States, this poses potential problems relating to vehicle range and charging infrastructure demand. Consumers in the United States had high expectations for EV driving range, needing on average a range of 518 miles to consider buying the vehicle. These concerns relate to the U.S.'s mass motorization, with drivers using their vehicles to cover large distances.

EVs may have become a challenge to the electricity transmission system in some places, but they also provide a unique solution to renewable electricity infrastructure. The plug-in electric vehicle fleet acts as a potential decentralized energy storage system. EVs that are fully charged may be able to feed back into the grid when demand increases and electricity from conventional sources is limited. Reselling electricity in this manner acts as a financial incentive for motorists but still has many risks to be addressed. Changing consumer perception will also be one of the hurdles faced by the government as it calls for more zero-emission vehicles on the road. Under 10 percent of consumers considered charging their EVs using alternative power sources as of October 2021.