EVs now 2.8% of global car sales

In August, EVs and PHEVs made up 2.8% of global car and light truck sales.  The chart below shows the percentage plotted on a logarithmic scale.  A log scale means that a series with a constant growth rate appears as a straight line.  The second chart shows the year-on-year growth rate, smoothed (it's plotted on an arithmetic scale, in case you were wondering).    The growth rate is about 55% yoy.   If this growth rate continues, the percentage of EVs/PHEVs in the total will reach 3.4% by the end of this year, and 5.4% by the end of next year.  And this growth rate will continue: Tesla's Model 3 is still only half-way through its production build out; China's 10% EV target kicks in in 2019 (it rises by 2% a year thereafter, and China is 1/3rd of the world car market); even (some) legacy car manufacturers are finally starting the take the EV market seriously with a couple of "affordable" EVs planned for 2019 and 2020.

5 years ago, EVs and PHEVs made up just 0.4% of the market.  In 5 years' time, that figure could easily be 25%.  But once a threshold of ownership is passed, then the shift to EVs will move very rapidly.  If your neighbour gets an EV, and likes it, you might consider one too.  When there are enough EVs out there, chargers will become widespread.  Expect a roll-out of chargers at petrol service stations, especially with the European oil majors (Shell, BP, Total) who seem to be more connected to reality than Exxon-Mobil.  In short, expect the growth rate to accelerate.  It's easy to envisage EVs making up 100% of total car sales in 8 or 9 years.