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California Tops 2.5 Million Zero-Emission Vehicles as Newsom Pushes New Incentives

The state is responding to the loss of federal incentives by proposing $200 million in rebates alongside fresh charging investments.

Overview

  • The California Energy Commission confirmed cumulative new ZEV sales have surpassed 2.5 million, a benchmark highlighted by Gov. Gavin Newsom at the World Economic Forum.
  • Californians bought 79,066 new ZEVs in the fourth quarter of 2025, equal to 18.9% of new-car sales following a third-quarter surge ahead of the Sept. 30 federal tax-credit expiration.
  • Nationwide EV share fell from 10.5% in Q3 to 5.8% in Q4 after the credit ended, according to Cox Automotive, while California maintained a far higher share.
  • Newsom’s January 9 budget proposes $200 million in new consumer rebates, and the CEC allocated $98.5 million for light-duty charging infrastructure in FY 2025–26.
  • California reports more than 200,000 public and shared charging stations and an estimated 800,000 home chargers, but the state remains short of CARB’s 35% ZEV sales requirement for 2026.