Good-to-Great News to Start the New Year
EV sales are set for another record year. Battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles sales are headed to 16.7 million units this year, up from 13.9 million in 2023
Quebec is rapidly taking the North American lead in EV adoption. In the last 3 months of 2024, more than one in three vehicle sales were electric—better than in California.
Europe will see a big jump in sales this year with the launch of several more affordable models—none will be Teslas.
A survey of more than 16,000 EV drivers conducted by the Canadian Automobile Association found that 97% of EV drivers were extremely likely or likely to purchase an EV again. Every single concern they had about driving an EV greatly declined after making the switch.
They also saved a lot of money. See NtK Why Complain About Gas Prices When 80% of the Gas in Your Tank is Wasted?
Meanwhile, in China, EVs are expected to outsell cars with internal combustion engines this year. This amounts to more than 11 million EVs. It will be a historic moment in the world’s biggest car market.
China is years ahead of nearly every other country except Norway, where nearly every car sold in 2024 was an EV.
Need-to-Know: Peak fossil-fuel use before 2030
The rise of EVs is expected to cut global oil demand by six million barrels per day by 2030. Increased electrification, in general, means oil and gas consumption will peak before 2030, according to the International Energy Association (IEA).
Need-to-Know: Going electric saves money and cuts air pollution
The transition to clean electricity saves money: most households in Canada can expect to save up to $1,100 each year by switching to more efficient technologies such as EVs and heat pumps.
In the U.S., electric heat pumps beat out gas furnace sales for the past two years. Not only cheaper and more efficient, electric heat pumps are better for your family’s health. See NtK Get Rid of Your Gas and Live Longer and The six benefits of heat pumps and $$ grants to get one.
Need-to-Know: Solar is now cheaper than wooden fencing
Around the world there is enough solar and wind ready to be connected to power grids with the electricity-generating capacity of 500 Nuclear Reactors. Another 500 reactors worth are in the pipeline. See NtK 1000 Nuclear Reactors: That's how much solar and wind electricity could be plugged in.
There’s more good news to come—along with some not great news—this year. That’s where we are.
Until next time. Be well.
Stephen