Electric vehicle sales reached the one-trillion mark (million million) in dollars in 2022, according to the consulting firm BNEF. Although they still represent a small portion of total vehicle sales, they are gaining momentum: 50% of these sales occurred between mid-2021 and the end of 2022.

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1890. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (https://www.energy.gov/articles/history-electric-car), the first successful electric vehicle model was developed by William Morrison, a chemist from Iowa. It was a 6-passenger vehicle capable of reaching a speed of 22 kilometers per hour. 

Electric cars were very popular in those years, accounting for one-third of all vehicles on U.S. roads in 1900. The success of the Ford Model T, the first mass-produced vehicle, changed their fortunes: in 1912, at a cost of $650 (in today’s dollars), it was much cheaper than an electric car, which cost $1,750, as well as being faster and having a longer range. 

The other years listed are also milestones in the history of electric vehicles. In 1975, at the height of the oil crisis, AMC delivered electric jeeps to the postal service and in 1996, General Motors launched the first modern electric car, the EV1, which was a commercial failure. In 1997, the new wave we are currently experiencing truly began with the launch of the Toyota Prius hybrid.