Following the introduction of the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt, the first full year of sales for mass-market plug-in vehicles was 2011; nearly 18,000 plug-in vehicles were sold that year in the United States.
Sales of plug-in electric vehicles have grown nearly each year since, increasing nine-fold to a record high of about 160 thousand units in 2016.
All-electric vehicles have outsold plug-in hybrid electric vehicles each of the past three years, according to data gathered by the US Department of Energy (DOE).
Annual Plug-in Vehicle Sales by Vehicle Type, 2011-16 (Thousands)
| Calendar Year | EV | PHEV | Total | EV Share of Total |
| 2011 | 10.1 | 7.7 | 17.8 | 57% |
| 2012 | 14.6 | 38.6 | 53.2 | 27% |
| 2013 | 48.1 | 49.0 | 97.1 | 50% |
| 2014 | 63.5 | 55.4 | 118.9 | 53% |
| 2015 | 71.1 | 42.9 | 114.0 | 62% |
| 2016 | 86.7 | 72.9 | 159.6 | 54% |
