California has established itself as the leading state in the United States for electric vehicle adoption, with a significant portion of households now owning at least one such vehicle. According to data from the 2025 American Community Survey one-year estimates released last week, approximately 13.8% of California households possess an electric vehicle, a category that includes both all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids. This figure stands in contrast to the national average, where only 5.5% of the 134 million U.S. households, or roughly 7.3 million homes, report having an electric vehicle.
The Census Bureau survey statistician Tricia Holley noted in a recent news release that western states have generally led the way in switching to electric power. While California holds the top spot, other western states follow at a distance. Washington State ranks second with 8.9% of households owning an electric vehicle, while Hawaii and Nevada trail closely behind at 8.5% and 8.2% respectively.
The disparity is particularly evident at the county level, where the nine counties with the highest rates of electric vehicle ownership in the entire nation are located within California. These counties, ranked in order, are Santa Clara, Marin, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, Orange, Napa, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Santa Clara County leads the national list, with 24.1% of its households, estimated at about 163,000, owning an electric vehicle.
Other California counties also feature prominently on the national rankings. El Dorado and Yolo counties both recorded an ownership rate of approximately 12.7%, placing them at 17th and 18th on the national list. Placer County followed in 24th place with an estimated 11.5% ownership rate, while Sacramento County saw about 10.3% of its households owning an electric vehicle.
The survey data also highlights a distinct gap in electric vehicle possession based on housing tenure. In California, homeowner households have an ownership rate of 17.7%, whereas renter households report a rate of 8.9%. This pattern was observed in the data for every other state as well, suggesting a broader trend where homeowners are more likely to adopt electric vehicles than renters.
State leadership continues to push for increased electric vehicle use. Governor Gavin Newsom re-affirmed the state's commitment to zero-emission vehicle sales requirements in June, a move made in response to opposition from President Donald Trump. The legal status of these requirements remains in federal court. Earlier this month, more than two dozen states, led by Attorney General Rob Bonta, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit alleges that a new rule rolling back fuel economy standards is arbitrary and violates federal law.
To encourage consumer adoption, the state introduced a rebate program in August. First-time shoppers purchasing a new electric vehicle became eligible for a rebate of up to $3,500, while those buying a used vehicle could receive up to $1,750. According to data released on October 16 by the governor's office, nearly 12,000 Californians have utilized the MyFirstEV rebate program since its inception.
These efforts appear to be yielding results in the marketplace. The California Energy Commission reports that more than 233,000 zero-emission vehicles have been sold in the state so far this year. This volume means that approximately 18% of all passenger vehicle sales in California are now zero-emission models.
Looking at the cumulative total, the commission indicates that a little less than 2.8 million zero-emission vehicles have been sold in California since the program's beginning. These figures underscore the state's sustained momentum in transitioning its vehicle fleet toward electric power, maintaining its position as the national leader in adoption rates.
