California has reached a milestone of more than 2.5 million zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales, according to the California Energy Commission. State officials highlighted continued growth in ZEV adoption, even as federal incentives ended and national sales slowed.
“No state in the union can match California’s five-year growth in ZEV sales,” said California Energy Commissioner Nancy Skinner. “This serves as a reminder of how far we’ve come thanks to historic levels of state investment and Californians’ strong demand for clean cars. Each quarter, even in the face of increasing federal headwinds, tens of thousands of consumers are purchasing a ZEV in the Golden State, enjoying a great driving experience, and knowing they never have to go to a gas station again.”
During the fourth quarter of 2025, Californians bought 79,066 new ZEVs. This represented 18.9% of all new car sales in the state for that period. The end of federal ZEV incentives on September 30, 2025 led to lower nationwide ZEV sales; by comparison, national figures fell from 10.5% market share in Q3 to just 5.8% in Q4, based on data from Cox Automotive.
“While the federal government reversed and put up roadblocks, the global zero-emission vehicle market surged ahead last year,” said California Air Resources Board Chair Lauren Sanchez. “Governor Newsom’s new rebate proposal sends a clear message: California isn’t slowing down, we’re still leading the pack. It’s not just about clean air, it’s smart economic policy.”
State officials pointed out that policies enacted by California have played a key role in supporting clean transportation technologies and advancing renewable energy such as solar power and battery storage.
To further support ZEV adoption amid ongoing uncertainty at the federal level, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a $200 million incentive program in his preliminary budget announced on January 9. The initiative aims to help keep ZEVs affordable and accessible while supporting American auto innovation during what officials describe as an uncertain time for automakers.
Despite challenges posed by shifting federal policy, there were still strong sales numbers in late 2025. Consumers benefited from having access to 149 different ZEV models available within California during that period.
The infrastructure supporting electric vehicles continues to expand across the state. There are now over 200,000 public and shared private EV charging stations located at sites including grocery stores and workplaces throughout California. Additionally, about 800,000 home EV chargers have been installed statewide.
Looking forward into fiscal year 2025-2026, the California Energy Commission has allocated $98.5 million from its Clean Transportation Program for light-duty ZEV infrastructure funding. Planned investments will likely focus on Level 1 and Level 2 charging solutions—especially at multifamily residences where longer vehicle dwell times are common.
The CEC is also preparing new reports for release later this year that will assess statewide EV infrastructure needs (as required by Assembly Bill 2127) and evaluate whether charging stations are equitably distributed (in accordance with SB 1000).
The California Energy Commission describes itself as the state’s main energy policy agency with responsibilities including advancing energy policy goals, encouraging efficiency measures, certifying power plants, investing in innovation projects related to energy use or production, developing renewables such as solar or wind power sources, transforming transportation systems towards cleaner alternatives like electric vehicles or hydrogen fuel cell technology platforms—and preparing for potential emergencies affecting supply reliability.
