Global electric car sales set for further strong growth: IEA
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E-mail Xinhua, April 30, 2021
Global electric car sales are set for further strong growth after 41 percent rise in 2020, according to a report released on Thursday by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
"Despite the pandemic setting off a cascade of economic recessions, a record 3 million new electric cars were registered in 2020, a 41 percent increase from the previous year. By comparison, the global automobile market contracted 16 percent in 2020," said the IEA's Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2021.
Last year's increase brought the number of electric cars on the world's roads to more than 10 million, with another roughly 1 million electric vans, heavy trucks and buses, the report said.
Electric car registrations in Europe more than doubled to 1.4 million, while in China they increased 9 percent to 1.2 million, said the report.
In the first quarter of 2021, electric cars' strong momentum has continued, with sales reaching nearly two and half times their level in the same period a year earlier, it added.
The IEA report said electric vehicles are set for significant growth over the coming decade. Based on current trends and policies, the number of electric cars, vans, heavy trucks and buses on the road worldwide could reach 145 million by 2030.
The global fleet could reach 230 million if governments accelerate efforts to reach international climate and energy goals, it noted.
"While they can't do the job alone, electric vehicles have an indispensable role to play in reaching net-zero emissions worldwide," said Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA.
"Current sales trends are very encouraging, but our shared climate and energy goals call for even faster market uptake," he said.
He urged governments to do the essential groundwork to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by using economic recovery packages to invest in battery manufacturing and the development of widespread and reliable charging infrastructure.
"China is the largest producer of batteries in the world, obviously will play a key role in bringing down the costs of electric cars and batteries for the rest of the world," Timur Gul, head of the IEA energy technology policy division, told Xinhua.
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