These are the countries with the most electric cars

Electric vehicles (EV’s) continue to make advances into the global auto market.

Big name automakers like Tesla, BMW and others have invested significant resources into the research and development of EVs that can go faster and farther. And as a result, the market share of EVs continues to grow.

Many countries, like the U.S. and Norway offer significant tax breaks to owners of electric cars, but countries that do not – like Germany – still make the list, thanks to being the headquarters of brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.IHS Automotive

In this research by Colorado-based IHS automotive, countries were ranked percentage of new car registrations that were EVs.

Despite having almost 15,000 registrations, EVs in the United States  grew by  just a fraction, even with the help of federal and state tax incentives. This small growth was uneven, too, and concentrated in areas with more financial incentive, said senior IHS automotive analyst Ben Scott.

“While the federal tax credit in the U.S. of up to $7,500 USD for plug-in electric vehicles is continuing to encourage sales across the country, the adoption of these vehicles has been uneven,” he said in a release.

“Consumer consideration and choice has skewed in favor of states offering additional incentives, like the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project in California or Georgia’s Zero Emission Vehicle Tax Credit.”

8. China

New EVs registered in Q1 2015: 12,555

Share of total registrations: 0.3%

Change from previous year: 744.9%

7. Japan

New EVs registered in Q1 2015: 7,750

Share of total registrations: 0.6%

Change from previous year: -19.5%

6. Germany

New EVs registered in Q1 2015: 4,250

Share of total registrations: 0.6%

Change from previous year: 97.7%

5. France

New EVs registered in Q1 2015: 3,626

Share of total registrations: 0.8%

Change from previous year: 101.3%

4. United States

New EVs registered in Q1 2015: 14,832

Share of total registrations: 0.8%

Change from previous year: 392.3%

3. United Kingdom

New EVs registered in Q1 2015: 8,864

Share of total registrations: 1.2%

Change from previous year: 392.3%

2. Netherlands

New EVs registered in Q1 2015: 5,760

Share of total registrations: 5.7%

Change from previous year: 74.2%

1. Norway

New EVs registered in Q1 2015: 8,112
Share of total registrations: 33.1%

Change from previous year: 40.5%

This article is published in collaboration with Business Insider. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

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Author: Graham Rapier is an editorial intern at Business Insider, he has previously worked at Inc Magazine and CBS News London. 

Image: A staff member plugs a charger cable into Toyota’s i-Road electric vehicle in Tokyo. REUTERS/Thomas Peter