US EV electricity consumption surges over 50% in early ’24

Electricity consumption from electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States surged by more than 50 per cent in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

In February, the total electricity use by EVs reached 1.58 million megawatt hours (MWh), up from 1.04 million MWh in 2023.

This 52 per cent increase in EV electricity use outpaced the 40 per cent growth rate observed from January–February 2022 to 2023, indicating the growing impact of rapidly expanding EV sales on electricity markets.

In 2023, EVs accounted for 16 per cent of all light-duty vehicle sales in the US, and their collective electricity use surpassed the electricity demand of US railways for the first time.

Total electricity consumption by EVs in 2023 was 7.6 million MWh, marking a 45 per cent increase from 2022.

The top state for EV electricity consumption was California, where EVs consumed 2.58 million MWh of electricity, accounting for just under 34 per cent of total national EV electricity demand.

Florida, Texas, New York, and Washington were also among the top five states for EV electricity demand in 2023.

In terms of vehicle type, battery-electric vehicles accounted for nearly 72 per cent of total EV electricity use, while plug-in hybrids accounted for 28.3 per cent.