Number of electric vehicles in use by type 2016-2021

There were about 10.2 million electric vehicles in operation worldwide in 2020. That year, all-electric vehicles accounted for about 67 percent of plug-in electric vehicles.

Electric vehicle market growth

Globally, electric vehicle sales soared to more than three million units in 2020. While conventional vehicle sales slumped amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the market share of electric vehicles increased to between four and five percent in 2020. China was the market with the largest battery electric vehicle fleet in 2019 with almost almost 54 percent of the world's battery electric vehicle population.

Manufacturers leading the Chinese market

Leading the Chinese battery electric vehicle market in 2020 was domestic manufacturer BYD. The company has been acknowledged for its innovation in battery technology. BYD also began manufacturing vehicles in foreign countries in 2015. State-owned SAIC Motor is also one of the leading domestic manufacturers of vehicles. As the world’s largest passenger car market, international manufacturers are also attracted to China. They operate in joint ventures with Chinese companies. Volkswagen and SAIC have one of the oldest partnerships in the automotive industry. GM has a joint venture with SAIC .