Electric Cars For Sale in San Francisco, CA (2024)

FAQs

Is it worth buying electric car in California? ›

From a cost perspective, yes, it is a good time to buy. Federal and state incentives are bringing certain EVs on par with the cost of gas vehicles.

As part of the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, all new passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs sold in California will be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. In October 2023, staff launched a new effort to consider amendments to the Advanced Clean Cars II regulations.

Notes: California had approximately 1,178,948 light-duty electric vehicle registrations in 2023. The scale of the axis changes at 200,000 to make it easier to see the other states.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently adopted “Advanced Clean Cars II,” set to take effect January 1, 2025, which would require 100% of new cars sold in Model Year 2035 to be electric vehicles.

Available rebates and tax credits

The State of California provides a rebate of $1,000 to $4,500 through the California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) for the purchase or lease of qualified cars. Qualifying low-income households may receive an additional $2,500 rebate.

EV incentives from public utilities

For example, Pacific Gas and Electric entices residential customers with a California EV rebate of $1,000 for the purchase of a pre-owned electric car, while low-income residents may be eligible for a rebate of up to $4,000.

Rebate Plus Option: $4,000

Income-qualified applicants may receive $4,000 based on their household level of income for the purchase or lease of a pre-owned EV. Customers who qualify for the Rebate Plus Option, are automatically approved for a $700 rebate for purchasing eligible EV charging equipment.

Given all the constraints, experts expect gas cars and trucks to be available until at least 2050, though a handful of states will phase them out as soon as 2035. To date, those states include California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.

The policy will not ban people from continuing to drive gas cars or from buying and selling them on the used market after 2035. The rule will also allow automakers to sell up to 20% plug-in hybrids, which have gas engines, by 2035.

California electric vehicle sales declined for the third straight quarter but are leveling off after last year's steep drop, according to California Energy Commission data released Wednesday.

Why are EV cars not selling? ›

Besides being too expensive for the average buyer, selection is limited in terms of body style, said Corey Cantor, an industry analyst with Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The vast majority are relatively expensive SUVs, and there are few sedans or compact cars for customers who want something different.

Los Angeles, USA.

Los Angeles is leading the way in electric vehicle (EV) adoption with ambitious targets: 10% of vehicles electric by 2025 and 25% by 2035. LA boasts an impressive milestone of 100,000 cumulative EV sales, making it a global leader in the EV movement.

Your vehicle does not need a smog inspection if your:

Powered by natural gas and weighs more than 14,000 pounds. An electric vehicle. Gasoline-powered and less than eight model-years old.

Purchasing an electric car can give you a tax credit starting at $2500. Other tax credits are available if the battery size is 5kWh with a cap of $7500 credit if the battery exceeds 16kWh.

By the numbers: At a public charging station in California, it costs an average of $0.50 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to charge an electric car at a public charging station in California, according to data gathered by Stable Auto, an EV charger software developer. That's compared to the national average of $0.45 per kWh.

A 2020 Consumer Reports study similarly showed that EV drivers tend to spend about 60 percent less each year on fuel costs compared to drivers of gas-powered cars.

AAA estimates that the electricity needed to drive 15,000 miles per year in a compact EV costs an average of $546. The organization estimates that with a similar gas-powered vehicle, it would cost $1,255 to drive the same distance. Using those estimates, driving an EV can save you $709 in fuel costs annually.

The Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) promoted clean vehicle adoption in California by offering rebates from $1,000 to $7,500 for the purchase or lease of new, eligible zero-emission vehicles, including electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles.