The number of plug-in cars on the road has increased at an annual rate of more than 100% over the last three years, according to an analysis by Germany’s Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (ZSW).

At the beginning of 2014, there were 405,000 plug-ins (EVs and PHEVs) registered worldwide, compared to 200,000 in 2013 and nearly 100,000 in 2012. The figures do not include motorcycles, trucks, buses or conventional hybrids (which number over six million).

ZSW projects that, at this rate of growth, there will be a million electrics on the world’s streets by 2016.

The US, Japan and China are leading the market, according to ZSW, followed by France, Holland, Norway and Germany. The top EV seller is Nissan, which announced that LEAF sales passed 100,000 in late January, followed by GM with over 60,000 Volts and Amperas sold, Toyota with over 40,000 PPIs plugging in, and Tesla with some 25,000 Roadsters and Model S on the road. 

Source: ZSW via Green Car Congress, AutoblogGreen