Washington state's record year for EV registrations

Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle registrations reached record levels last year in Washington, per state data.

Why it matters: Washington saw the biggest increase in EV market share in 2023 of any state, per a report by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a transition that climate experts say is critical to taming greenhouse gas emissions.

Zoom in: The Seattle region's adoption of EVs has far outpaced the nation's , historically.

• But last year alone, the state saw a 43% jump — from 118,050 in January 2023 to 168,850 by the year's end — in EV and plug-in hybrid registrations, according to the state Department of Ecology (DOE).
• Manufacturers reported that 22% of vehicles delivered to Washington dealerships for sale in 2023 were EVs and plug-in hybrids, per DOE.
• Washington also ranked among the nation's top states for the most electric car miles traveled per 1,000 residents on a typical weekday last year, per recent data from mobility analytics platform Replica.

Between the lines: The surge is driven by a number of factors, including federal incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act of up to $7,500 and up to $4,000 in state incentives, said Joel Creswell of DOE's Climate Pollution Reduction program.

• He also cited the growing number of EV choices from every major manufacturer, including full-size pickups and seven-passenger SUVs, which has increased competition and lowered prices.

What's next: The state Department of Commerce recently announced more than $85 million in grants to build 5,000 new charging stations, which the state said will make EV adoption more realistic for many.

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