Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles collectively accounted for 11% of light vehicle sales in the United States during the fourth quarter of 2021, according to data from Wards Intelligence.

On a global level, the automotive market is very competitive today and is expected to become even more so in the future.

For example, the Tesla company maintains that its Model 3 and Model Y cars face competition from existing and future automakers in the extremely competitive entry-level premium sedan and compact SUV markets.

Already a significant and growing number of new and established automakers, as well as other companies, have entered, or are reported to have plans to enter, the market for electric vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. fully electric, as well as the market for autonomous driving technology and other vehicle applications and software platforms.

Electric vehicles

In the United States, sales of several existing hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric models increased in 2021, but a large part of the sales increase came from new manufacturer offerings in different market segments.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), sales of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles in the United States have increased in recent months as sales of non-hybrid internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles have decreased. that run on gasoline or diesel.

Manufacturers increased the number of non-hybrid ICE vehicle models by 49 in 2021, versus an increase of 126 for hybrid and electric vehicle models.

Thus, the EIA noted, these additional hybrid or electric models were mostly crossover vehicles, combining passenger car and sport utility vehicle attributes, or vehicles such as vans and pickup trucks, which previously did not have many hybrid or electric vehicle options.

Manufacturers of hybrid and plug-in vehicles have expanded into market segments such as crossovers, vans, and trucks following consumer preference for larger vehicles.

Within each type of electric or hybrid powertrain, crossovers now account for the majority of sales.

Tesla added that, in some cases, its competitors offer or will offer electric vehicles in important markets such as China and Europe, and/or have announced their intention to exclusively produce electric vehicles at some point in the future.