Electric Vehicle Spotlight: How do we get more electric vehicles available for sale in Nevada?
Electric vehicles available for test drives during the Nevada Transportation Electrification Forum held in early 2020.

Electric Vehicle Spotlight: How do we get more electric vehicles available for sale in Nevada?

Plug In America

We all know buying a car is hard. But getting an electric model can be a truly difficult project.

There were over 40 electric vehicle makes and models available for sale in the United States in 2019. However, only a dozen or so were available at Nevada’s car dealerships that same year.

Many Nevadans want electric cars. Sometimes, folks are willing to travel out of state or buy cars online without a test drive, just to purchase their preferred model. Not only is this a hassle, but it means money that could be spent in the Silver State is going elsewhere. 

Adopting Clean Car Standards can help provide more electric vehicles in Nevada. In June of 2020, Governor Steve Sisolak announced the Clean Cars Nevada initiative, which could bring the Low-Emission Vehicles (LEV) and Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV) programs to Nevada. 

The ZEV program in particular ensures that each year, automakers deliver more vehicles that are partly or fully zero emissions (such as plug-in hybrid or full electric vehicles) for sale in Nevada. The eleven states that have adopted the ZEV program have seen increased availability of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle models as a result. 

Once Clean Car Standards are adopted, between six and eight percent of all vehicles delivered to Nevada dealerships in 2025 could be electric. If that were the case today, that would be equivalent to about 10,600 plug-in cars — almost five times more than the 2,300 electric cars sold in Nevada in 2018. This solves the problem for Nevadans who would prefer to take a road trip after they buy an EV, instead of before. It also means more business for dealerships right here at home.

The price of electric vehicles will continue to fall as more models enter the market. One model already costs less than $24,000. More electric vehicles will also give a boost to the used EV market, making them more accessible for car buyers on a budget. It all adds up to more electric vehicles in Nevada, available and accessible for everyone.

Do you want to learn more about electric vehicles and the process to adopt Clean Car Standards? Stay up-to-date by visiting our Newsroom page frequently!