Electric Vehicle Records, Renewables on the Rise & New Challenges for Solar
EVs, renewables and new energy infrastructure are rapidly reshaping the global power landscape. In August 2025 alone, EV sales hit new highs, U.S. wind and solar outpaced coal, China’s solar output surged, U.S. oil exports hit record levels, and developers unveiled new ways to make solar projects more resilient to extreme weather.
🚗 Global EV Sales Continue to Climb
Rho Motion reports that 1.7 million electric vehicles were sold globally in August 2025 — a 5% rise month-on-month and 15% higher than a year earlier. Battery-electric vehicles made up 1.16 million of the total and plug-in hybrids 0.57 million, underscoring continued strong demand across all EV segments.
💨☀️ Wind and Solar Pull Ahead of U.S. Coal
In the first seven months of 2025, U.S. wind and solar generated 20% more electricity than coal. July alone saw utility-scale solar output jump 37% from a year earlier and total solar production rise around 30%, while wind generation increased 14%. Together, wind and solar are steadily closing the gap with natural gas.
☀️ China’s Solar Output Surges Again
China produced 124 TWh of solar power in August 2025, according to Ember — a 39% increase compared with August 2024. The latest figures highlight the scale and speed of China’s continuing solar build-out, which now dwarfs that of any other country.
🛢️ Visualizing U.S. Oil Exports
The U.S. exported 3.9 billion barrels of oil to 146 countries in 2024, equal to 55% of its domestic production. Top destinations included Mexico (11%), the Netherlands (9.9%), Canada (8.1%) and China (8.1%). This flow of crude, refined products and other liquids underscores the global role of American energy.
🌦️ Building Weather-Ready Solar
With extreme weather on the rise, solar projects are being redesigned for resilience. Panels in cold regions are tilted steeper to shed snow; hurricane-zone arrays use shorter rows, heavier piles and tighter anchoring; flood-risk sites elevate inverters and boost surge protection. Using locally rated components — from corrosion-resistant hardware to high-heat wiring and transformers — further improves durability and performance.