Source: Prospective Network

As early as the nineteenth century, new energy vehicles have been on the stage of world history. It has been a great success. Sales reached a peak in 1912. But the good times are not long. By the 1920s, because the discovery of large oil fields has reduced the price of gasoline and the technological progress of internal combustion engines, gasoline vehicles have gradually become the main choice of people. At that time, the electric vehicle was eliminated because of its low speed, short range and high price.
In the decades since then, although some electric vehicles have been introduced, they have been unable to reach commercial scale due to the high cost and the short board of endurance. Until the end of the 20th century, with the depletion of petroleum resources and the increasing harm of global warming, people once again turned their attention to energy-saving and environmental protection electric vehicles.
In the 21st century, the development of electric vehicles has become the strategic focus of many countries and major automobile manufacturers in the world to meet the challenges of energy and environment. The world automobile industry has entered a comprehensive upgrade period.
Rapid Growth of Global Sales of New Energy Vehicles
At present, the global new energy vehicles are classified according to the automobile development technology. There are three kinds of new energy vehicles: pure electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. Most developed countries give priority to the development of pure electric vehicles. In the international competitive market, the sales of pure electric vehicles are also higher.
According to the Global Electric Vehicle Market Outlook 2018 published by the United Nations International Energy Agency (IEA), the global sales of new electric vehicles exceeded 1 million in 2017, a record high. With the increasing number of new energy vehicle brands, the structure of new energy vehicles is constantly enriched, consumers'intention to consume new energy is constantly increasing, and the sales of new energy vehicles in the world are also increasing day by day. According to the data of MARKLINES, a global automotive industry platform, the global sales of new energy vehicles exceeded 2 million in 2018, reaching the level of 2.37 million vehicles. By the end of 2018, the global sales of new energy vehicles had exceeded 5.5 million.
Figure 1: Global sales of new energy vehicles (10,000 vehicles,%) in 2017-2018
China is the largest new energy automobile market in the world
At present, although different countries in the world focus on new energy vehicle research and development, but have formulated a more clear development line, and have a relatively perfect research and development, promotion system and a series of government policy support.
In terms of regional distribution, China is the largest new energy automobile market in the world. In 2018, China accounted for 53% of global sales of new energy vehicles, followed by the United States, accounting for about 12.7%. In addition, Norway (2.8%), Germany (2.7%), Britain (2.3%), France (1.9%), Japan (1.9%) and Korea (1.3%).
Figure 2: Regional Competition Patterns of Global New Energy Vehicles in 2018 (Unit:%)
Tesla Pure Electric Vehicle is the most popular
From the perspective of auto brand, Tesla has become one of the most popular pure electric vehicles in the global market since 2010, and its popularity has remained unchanged in recent years. In 2018, Tesla's total sales amounted to 245,200 vehicles, surpassing BYD, ranking first in the world; BYD was affected by the reduction of domestic subsidies, and its total sales in 2018 ranked second with 227,400 vehicles; Beiqi's new energy and BMW's annual sales also exceeded 100,000 vehicles, ranking third and fourth in terms of global new energy utilization. Nissan, SAIC Rongwei, Chery, Hyundai, Renault and Volkswagen are among the top 10 car sales.
Figure 3: Global New Energy Passenger Car Sales TOP10 in 2018 (Unit: Vehicles)
U.S. Market-Introduction of Multi-Advanced Fuel Vehicle Model
Specifically, since January 2011, more than 990,000 electric vehicles have been sold in the U.S. market, while 110,000 electric vehicles were sold in the third quarter of 2018 alone, a 108% increase over the same period in 2017. According to the data of MARKLINES, the global automotive industry platform, the sales of electric vehicles in the United States in 2018 were 321,000.
Energy Fuse (FUSE) said that in 2018, American automobile manufacturers launched more than 46 advanced fuel vehicle models, including 28 PHEVs, 15 electric vehicles and 3 fuel cell vehicles. It is estimated that by 2020 every major car manufacturer in the U.S. market will offer 120 electric vehicles.
Figure 4: Sales of Electric Vehicles in the United States from 2012 to 2018 (Units: Vehicles)
Note: The data of 2012-2016 are from China Automobile Research Center, and the data of 2018 are from the global automobile industry platform.
Japanese Market-Production and Sales
Japan is not only a big producer of electric vehicles, but also an important sales market of electric vehicles. Japan has mastered the core technology of batteries and motors for electric vehicles, which makes Japan play an important role in the field of new energy vehicles in the world. According to the data of MARKLINES, the global automotive industry platform, the sales of electric vehicles in Japan in 2018 were 43.9 million.
In order to promote the new generation of electric vehicles and ensure the leading edge of Japanese automobile industry in the fierce international competition, the Japanese government vigorously promotes the development of new energy automobile. On April 12, 2010, Japan's Ministry of Economy and Industry (MOEI) released the "New Generation (Next Generation) Motor Vehicle Strategy 2010" to guide the domestic motor vehicle industry planning. According to the plan, EV and HYBRID will account for 50% of the total passenger car sales by 2020. In 2018, the Japanese government renewed pressure to sell only electric vehicles (EVs) by 2050 to reduce 90% of greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars. It can be predicted that Japan, relying on its technological advantages in the field of electric vehicles, and the Japanese government's continuous industrial support policy, will become an electric power company in Japan in the future.