Change in U.S. Light-Duty Vehicle Registration Counts

2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023
Gasoline 1.1 0.7 1 0.3 3.6 0.3 -1.5
Flex Fuel 10 6.4 4.5 1.6 -32.1 -1.4 -10
Diesel 4.7 2 3.2 3.5 -24.6 0.6 -1.7
Hybrid Electric 7.3 4.9 6 6.3 12.8 12.2 8.7
Electric 25.9 33.7 26.9 23.1 29.9 40.3 21.5
Biodiesel 13.1 1.4
PHEV 26.3 25.3 14 9.7 21.5 25.3 11.5
Compressed Natural Gas -8.8 -8.9 -8.7 -7.5 -135 -16.1
Hydrogen 59.6 34.1 62 9.4 -18.2 20.5 8.4
Propane 5.3 -58.3 -20 9.1 99.9 -7.2 -8.9
Bi-Fuel -43.3
Other -0.3 -3.9 -4.7 -5.8 -10.5
Unspecified -6.9 -4.5 -2.4 -4.7

Source: Vehicle registration counts derived by the National Laboratory of the Rockies with data from Experian Information Solutions

Notes: Bi-Fuel includes vehicles that can run on two fuel types in the same engine but is susceptible to differences in reporting. (Ex. CNG ~ Gas, Natural Gas ~ Propane)

The chart illustrates the annual percent change of light-duty vehicles, by fuel type, registered in the United States from 2016 through 2023. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) consistently showed the greatest growth in registration counts until 2020. This is largely because initial vehicle registration counts were low. Annual changes are more volatile for vehicle fuel types with small populations, such as hydrogen, compressed natural gas, and propane. From 2016 to 2023, the highest average percentage increases are from electric vehicles with 28.8%, HFCVs with 25.1%, and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) with 19.09%. The largest percent decrease is found in compressed natural gas vehicles, averaging -174% because of very limited fueling stations. See relative vehicle population sizes at Light-Duty AFV Registrations, AFV and HEV Model Offerings, by Manufacturer, U.S. Plug-in Electric Vehicle Sales by Model, and the Energy Information Administration's Fleet and Fuel Data. For a map comparing the density of light-duty vehicles per state and charts comparing registration counts over time, see TransAtlas.

To view more details, notes, and acronyms, please download the Excel spreadsheet.