2026-02-14 01:59:41
See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.
See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
In 2019, electric vehicles were still a niche purchase in most countries, accounting for single-digit shares of new car sales.
By 2025, EVs had moved from niche to dominant in several markets. In Norway, EVs were estimated to make up 97% of new car sales, meaning nearly every new car sold was electric. Several other countries crossed the 50% threshold, and in China, EVs made up more than half of all new car sales in the world’s largest auto market.
This infographic highlights how EV sales share has evolved between 2019 and 2025. The data for this visualization comes from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Ember. EVs include both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Sales figures for 2025 are estimates.
Taken together, the data shows how quickly EV adoption has moved from early adoption to mainstream across much of the global auto market.
Norway remains the global leader in EV adoption. In 2019, EVs already accounted for 56% of new car sales in the country. By 2025, that share is estimated to reach 97%, meaning nearly every new car sold is electric. This rapid shift has been driven by strong policy incentives, tax exemptions, and widespread charging infrastructure.
Nepal ranks second globally, with EVs estimated to account for 73% of new car sales in 2025 — a striking shift from just 8% in 2019.
| Rank (2025) | Country | 2019 Share | 2025 Share | Change (p.p.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Norway |
56% | 97% | +41 |
| 2 |
 Nepal |
8% | 73% | +65 |
| 3 |
 Denmark |
4% | 69% | +65 |
| 4 |
 Sweden |
11% | 61% | +50 |
| 5 |
 Iceland |
26% | 57% | +31 |
| 6 |
 Finland |
7% | 56% | +49 |
| 7 |
 Netherlands |
15% | 56% | +41 |
| 8 |
 China |
5% | 53% | +48 |
| 9 |
 Belgium |
3% | 43% | +40 |
| 10 |
 Portugal |
6% | 37% | +31 |
| 11 |
 Ireland |
4% | 34% | +30 |
| 12 |
 Luxembourg |
4% | 34% | +30 |
| 13 |
 Switzerland |
6% | 33% | +27 |
| 14 |
 United Kingdom |
3% | 33% | +30 |
| 15 |
 Austria |
4% | 31% | +27 |
| 16 |
 Israel |
2% | 31% | +29 |
| 17 |
 Germany |
3% | 29% | +26 |
| 18 |
 France |
3% | 25% | +22 |
| 19 |
 Thailand |
1% | 21% | +20 |
| 20 |
 Spain |
1% | 19% | +18 |
| 21 |
 Latvia |
1% | 19% | +18 |
| 22 |
 Estonia |
0% | 18% | +18 |
| 23 |
 Lithuania |
0% | 17% | +17 |
| 24 |
 Türkiye |
0% | 17% | +17 |
| 25 |
 Costa Rica |
1% | 17% | +16 |
| 26 |
 Cyprus |
0% | 15% | +15 |
| 27 |
 Indonesia |
0% | 15% | +15 |
| 28 |
 Slovenia |
0% | 14% | +14 |
| 29 |
 South Korea |
2% | 14% | +12 |
| 30 |
 Australia |
1% | 14% | +13 |
| 31 |
 Greece |
0% | 13% | +13 |
| 32 |
 Hungary |
2% | 13% | +11 |
| 33 |
 Poland |
0% | 12% | +12 |
| 34 |
 Italy |
1% | 11% | +10 |
| 35 |
 United States |
2% | 10% | +8 |
| 36 |
 Czechia |
0% | 10% | +10 |
| 37 |
 Brazil |
0% | 9% | +9 |
| 38 |
 Canada |
3% | 9% | +6 |
| 39 |
 Taiwan |
1% | 9% | +8 |
| 40 |
 Colombia |
1% | 9% | +8 |
| 41 |
 New Zealand |
6% | 8% | +2 |
| 42 |
 Albania |
0% | 6% | +6 |
| 43 |
 Bulgaria |
1% | 6% | +5 |
| 44 |
 Mexico |
0% | 6% | +6 |
| 45 |
 Croatia |
0% | 5% | +5 |
| 46 |
 Romania |
1% | 5% | +4 |
| 47 |
 Malaysia |
0% | 4% | +4 |
| 48 |
 India |
0% | 4% | +4 |
| 49 |
 Japan |
1% | 3% | +2 |
| 50 |
 Chile |
0% | 3% | +3 |
| 51 |
 South Africa |
0% | 1% | +1 |
Other Nordic countries also rank near the top. Sweden is estimated to reach 61% in 2025, while Finland and Denmark both exceed 50%.
While Norway leads in percentage terms, China dominates in absolute numbers. EV sales in China are estimated to reach over 13.2 million in 2025, accounting for 53% of new car sales. That makes China both the largest EV market by volume and one of the fastest-growing in terms of market share.
In comparison, the United States has a 10% EV sales share in 2025, with roughly 1.6 million EVs sold. Canada trails slightly behind at 9%. Recently, the Canadian government has agreed to remove its 100% blocking tariff from a small annual quota of 49,000 EVs made in China.
Europe shows some of the most widespread gains across major economies. Countries like Belgium (43%), the Netherlands (56%), Portugal (37%), and the United Kingdom (33%) have all seen dramatic increases since 2019, when EV shares were mostly below 10%.
Even traditionally slower adopters, such as Italy and Spain, have reached double-digit penetration. Across the region, EV sales have surged not only in share but also in volume—Germany alone is estimated to sell more than 840,000 EVs in 2025.
Adoption is also expanding beyond Europe and China. Nepal stands out with an estimated 73% EV sales share in 2025, albeit from a small base. Thailand (21%) and Indonesia (15%) are emerging as Southeast Asian leaders.
In Latin America, Brazil’s EV share has risen to 9%, while Mexico reaches 6%.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Most Fuel Efficient Cars From 1975 to Today on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist. “`
2026-02-13 23:07:00
Higher everyday costs have made cash-flow timing more fragile for many households. As a result, more workers lean on borrowing to cover near-essentials and stay flexible.
This graphic, in partnership with Payactiv, shows America’s mountain of debt across major non-housing categories using data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Here is a table that shows quarterly, inflation-adjusted debt levels from 2003 to 2025 in trillions of USD, split by category.
| Period | Auto Loans | Credit Card | Student Loan | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03:Q1 | 1.13 | 1.22 | 0.42 | 0.85 |
| 03:Q2 | 1.09 | 1.22 | 0.42 | 0.86 |
| 03:Q3 | 1.19 | 1.21 | 0.44 | 0.84 |
| 03:Q4 | 1.23 | 1.23 | 0.44 | 0.79 |
| 04:Q1 | 1.25 | 1.22 | 0.45 | 0.78 |
| 04:Q2 | 1.27 | 1.20 | 0.45 | 0.72 |
| 04:Q3 | 1.28 | 1.21 | 0.56 | 0.70 |
| 04:Q4 | 1.24 | 1.22 | 0.59 | 0.71 |
| 05:Q1 | 1.23 | 1.20 | 0.61 | 0.66 |
| 05:Q2 | 1.28 | 1.20 | 0.62 | 0.67 |
| 05:Q3 | 1.37 | 1.20 | 0.63 | 0.67 |
| 05:Q4 | 1.29 | 1.21 | 0.64 | 0.69 |
| 06:Q1 | 1.29 | 1.17 | 0.70 | 0.68 |
| 06:Q2 | 1.28 | 1.18 | 0.70 | 0.67 |
| 06:Q3 | 1.31 | 1.19 | 0.72 | 0.70 |
| 06:Q4 | 1.32 | 1.24 | 0.77 | 0.66 |
| 07:Q1 | 1.26 | 1.21 | 0.81 | 0.64 |
| 07:Q2 | 1.26 | 1.25 | 0.80 | 0.64 |
| 07:Q3 | 1.28 | 1.28 | 0.82 | 0.64 |
| 07:Q4 | 1.27 | 1.30 | 0.85 | 0.65 |
| 08:Q1 | 1.24 | 1.28 | 0.89 | 0.64 |
| 08:Q2 | 1.21 | 1.27 | 0.88 | 0.60 |
| 08:Q3 | 1.20 | 1.27 | 0.90 | 0.61 |
| 08:Q4 | 1.20 | 1.32 | 0.97 | 0.62 |
| 09:Q1 | 1.18 | 1.28 | 1.01 | 0.63 |
| 09:Q2 | 1.12 | 1.24 | 1.03 | 0.59 |
| 09:Q3 | 1.11 | 1.22 | 1.04 | 0.57 |
| 09:Q4 | 1.08 | 1.20 | 1.08 | 0.57 |
| 10:Q1 | 1.04 | 1.13 | 1.13 | 0.54 |
| 10:Q2 | 1.04 | 1.10 | 1.13 | 0.52 |
| 10:Q3 | 1.05 | 1.08 | 1.16 | 0.50 |
| 10:Q4 | 1.05 | 1.08 | 1.20 | 0.50 |
| 11:Q1 | 1.04 | 1.02 | 1.23 | 0.48 |
| 11:Q2 | 1.02 | 0.99 | 1.22 | 0.47 |
| 11:Q3 | 1.04 | 0.99 | 1.24 | 0.47 |
| 11:Q4 | 1.05 | 1.00 | 1.25 | 0.47 |
| 12:Q1 | 1.05 | 0.97 | 1.28 | 0.45 |
| 12:Q2 | 1.06 | 0.94 | 1.28 | 0.44 |
| 12:Q3 | 1.08 | 0.94 | 1.35 | 0.44 |
| 12:Q4 | 1.10 | 0.96 | 1.36 | 0.45 |
| 13:Q1 | 1.10 | 0.92 | 1.38 | 0.43 |
| 13:Q2 | 1.13 | 0.93 | 1.38 | 0.42 |
| 13:Q3 | 1.18 | 0.93 | 1.43 | 0.42 |
| 13:Q4 | 1.19 | 0.94 | 1.50 | 0.44 |
| 14:Q1 | 1.21 | 0.91 | 1.53 | 0.43 |
| 14:Q2 | 1.24 | 0.91 | 1.53 | 0.44 |
| 14:Q3 | 1.27 | 0.93 | 1.54 | 0.45 |
| 14:Q4 | 1.32 | 0.96 | 1.59 | 0.47 |
| 15:Q1 | 1.34 | 0.94 | 1.64 | 0.46 |
| 15:Q2 | 1.38 | 0.95 | 1.62 | 0.46 |
| 15:Q3 | 1.43 | 0.97 | 1.63 | 0.48 |
| 15:Q4 | 1.45 | 1.00 | 1.68 | 0.48 |
| 16:Q1 | 1.46 | 0.97 | 1.72 | 0.48 |
| 16:Q2 | 1.48 | 0.98 | 1.70 | 0.49 |
| 16:Q3 | 1.53 | 1.01 | 1.72 | 0.50 |
| 16:Q4 | 1.56 | 1.05 | 1.76 | 0.51 |
| 17:Q1 | 1.56 | 1.01 | 1.78 | 0.49 |
| 17:Q2 | 1.58 | 1.03 | 1.77 | 0.50 |
| 17:Q3 | 1.60 | 1.07 | 1.79 | 0.51 |
| 17:Q4 | 1.60 | 1.09 | 1.81 | 0.51 |
| 18:Q1 | 1.60 | 1.07 | 1.84 | 0.51 |
| 18:Q2 | 1.60 | 1.07 | 1.82 | 0.50 |
| 18:Q3 | 1.63 | 1.08 | 1.85 | 0.51 |
| 18:Q4 | 1.63 | 1.12 | 1.88 | 0.53 |
| 19:Q1 | 1.64 | 1.09 | 1.91 | 0.51 |
| 19:Q2 | 1.65 | 1.10 | 1.87 | 0.52 |
| 19:Q3 | 1.67 | 1.11 | 1.89 | 0.54 |
| 19:Q4 | 1.68 | 1.17 | 1.90 | 0.54 |
| 20:Q1 | 1.69 | 1.12 | 1.93 | 0.54 |
| 20:Q2 | 1.69 | 1.03 | 1.94 | 0.53 |
| 20:Q3 | 1.70 | 1.01 | 1.93 | 0.52 |
| 20:Q4 | 1.71 | 1.02 | 1.93 | 0.52 |
| 21:Q1 | 1.70 | 0.95 | 1.95 | 0.51 |
| 21:Q2 | 1.70 | 0.95 | 1.89 | 0.51 |
| 21:Q3 | 1.71 | 0.95 | 1.88 | 0.50 |
| 21:Q4 | 1.70 | 1.00 | 1.84 | 0.51 |
| 22:Q1 | 1.67 | 0.96 | 1.81 | 0.51 |
| 22:Q2 | 1.66 | 0.98 | 1.76 | 0.52 |
| 22:Q3 | 1.67 | 1.01 | 1.72 | 0.54 |
| 22:Q4 | 1.69 | 1.07 | 1.74 | 0.55 |
| 23:Q1 | 1.68 | 1.06 | 1.73 | 0.55 |
| 23:Q2 | 1.68 | 1.10 | 1.67 | 0.56 |
| 23:Q3 | 1.68 | 1.14 | 1.69 | 0.56 |
| 23:Q4 | 1.69 | 1.19 | 1.69 | 0.58 |
| 24:Q1 | 1.69 | 1.16 | 1.66 | 0.57 |
| 24:Q2 | 1.68 | 1.18 | 1.64 | 0.56 |
| 24:Q3 | 1.69 | 1.20 | 1.65 | 0.56 |
| 24:Q4 | 1.70 | 1.24 | 1.66 | 0.57 |
| 25:Q1 | 1.67 | 1.20 | 1.66 | 0.55 |
| 25:Q2 | 1.67 | 1.22 | 1.65 | 0.54 |
| 25:Q3 | 1.66 | 1.23 | 1.65 | 0.55 |
Even after adjusting for inflation, non-housing balances rise across cycles in the dataset. Still, the dip around 2010 reflects defaults and paydowns after the subprime mortgage crisis.
Since then, balances have been rebuilt, and higher rates can magnify interest costs.
Rising consumer debt inevitably leads to higher interest payments. In Q1 2025, the average U.S. household paid about $4,214 per year in non-mortgage interest.
Auto and student loans often fund commuting and credentials, so households treat them as near-essentials. However, these categories now drive much of the rise highlighted in the graphic.
In Q3 2025, student loans stood at about $1.65T, auto loans at about $1.66T, and credit cards at about $1.23T. For those with the deepest debt relative to their income, interest charges can crowd out savings and emergency funds.
Credit cards often fill short gaps when budgets tighten. Consequently, workers may prioritize minimum payments and delay building buffers.
Debt can support big goals, yet short timing gaps can push workers into avoidable interest or fees. Because paychecks arrive later than bills, even small mismatches can snowball.
Earned Wage Access (EWA) lets employees access already-earned wages earlier through an employer-connected payroll flow.
Household debt loads vary by metro, with several areas above a 2.5 DTI ratio. This graphic maps where pressure is highest and why pay timing matters.
A 5,000-year look at how wages moved from rations and coins to paychecks and modern earned wage access.
Earned wage access vs estimated advances: find out how verified, employer-sponsored access avoids debt and improves retention.
2026-02-13 22:57:00
Across the U.S., higher housing costs and everyday expenses keep budgets tight. As a result, many households lean on credit to cover gaps between paydays.
This graphic, in partnership with Payactiv, shows the top U.S. metros with the highest household debt-to-income ratios using data from the Federal Reserve.
Here is a table ranking the top metropolitan statistical areas with populations of 500,000 or more by their Household Debt-to-Income Ratio for Q1 2025.
| Metropolitan Statistical Area | Debt-to-Income Ratio |
|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2.51 or higher |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 2.51 or higher |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | 2.51 or higher |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 2.51 or higher |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 2.51 or higher |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 2.06–2.51 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | 2.06–2.51 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 2.06–2.51 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 2.06–2.51 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 2.06–2.51 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 2.06–2.51 |
| Ogden, UT | 2.06–2.51 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 2.06–2.51 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 2.06–2.51 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1.79–2.06 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1.79–2.06 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 1.79–2.06 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 1.79–2.06 |
| Tucson, AZ | 1.79–2.06 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 1.79–2.06 |
| Boise City, ID | 1.79–2.06 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY . | 1.79–2.06 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 1.79–2.06 |
| Modesto, CA | 1.79–2.06 |
Several large metros sit in the 2.51-or-higher tier, led by Los Angeles suburban areas such Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura. Florida appears at the top with the highly visited destination of Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach.
Meanwhile, the 2.06–2.51 tier includes the notable Urban Honolulu, Colorado Springs, and several more Florida metros.
Although slightly lower, the metro areas of San Diego, Jacksonville, and Sacramento also largely outpace income with their household debt levels.
A 2.5 debt-to-income (DTI) ratio means the average household owes about two and a half years of wages in debt, and payments alone can absorb roughly 20–25% of monthly take-home pay before everyday expenses.
Debt can support long-term goals, so the key issue is often timing. However, when bills hit before payday, households may pay interest to bridge a short gap.
When debt is already high, even small gaps can rack up interest fast. As a result, using credit to bridge the days before payday can turn routine bills into a recurring fee, month after month. Over time, those charges can crowd out essentials and savings.
Earned Wage Access (EWA) lets employees access wages they’ve already earned before payday. Consequently, it can reduce reliance on high-interest options for routine expenses.
In addition, EWA can help align pay timing with bill timing, so workers don’t feel forced to pay interest to cover short gaps. That way, employees can handle essentials with earned wages instead of costly stopgaps.
America’s mountain of debt keeps rising, with auto and student loans driving much of the increase. This graphic shows how Earned Wage Access can help workers…
A 5,000-year look at how wages moved from rations and coins to paychecks and modern earned wage access.
Earned wage access vs estimated advances: find out how verified, employer-sponsored access avoids debt and improves retention.
2026-02-13 22:47:00
View the full-size version of this graphic
For millennia, wages have reflected how society organizes work. Over time, payday moved from immediate necessities to scheduled cycles.
This graphic, in partnership with Payactiv, shows Years of Wages across 5,000 years using data from various sources.
Early employers often paid workers with essentials, because daily survival mattered most. As a result, wage records show rations, commodities, and early standardized rates.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| ca. 3100 BCE | A clay tablet from Mesopotamia records the daily beer ration for day laborers. |
| ca. 1750 BCE | The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi details in-kind wages for many common occupations in corn. |
| ca. 600 BCE | The Lydian Stater was the first state-issued denominated coin; a third-stater—or trite—was worth one month’s subsistence. |
Then, cash pay spread as trade expanded, and wages became easier to measure and compare. Even so, “salary” still carries a salt-linked origin story, although the “paid only in salt” claim doesn’t hold up.
During the Middle Ages, many roles blended cash with in-kind support, especially for year-round service. In practice, wages could include food, lodging, clothing allowances, or guaranteed access to essentials.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 950 | Byzantine officials are paid by the Emperor in person in gold coins and bolts of silk in a public ceremony on Palm Sunday in the Hagia Sophia. |
| 1271 | Paper money emerged first in China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), and was convertible to strings of coins called guàn. |
| 1346–1353 | The Black Death kills roughly half of Europe’s population, leading to labor shortages and significantly higher wages. |
Even when pay was “annual,” it wasn’t always a single year-end handoff. Instead, employers often settled wages around seasonal milestones, while workers relied on household production to smooth gaps.
As markets grew, more workers relied on regular cash wages to cover recurring costs. Meanwhile, employers pushed toward repeatable routines that later shaped modern payroll.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 17th Century CE | Merchants subcontract manufacturing to workers in their cottages—hence cottage industry—and were paid by piece. |
| 1659 | The first-ever check is written for 39 pounds, 4 shillings, and 2 pence in London on February 16th. |
| 1760 | The Industrial Revolution upends the workplace, with workers organized into factories and paid on a weekly basis. |
Weekly pay fit the rhythm of expanding towns and workshops, where hours and output were easier to track. As a result, payday became a predictable checkpoint for both workers budgeting and employers managing labor costs.
In the modern era, the biweekly payday eventually became the default for many employers because it balances predictability with workable payroll administration. In 2023, it was the most common pay period in the U.S. private sector at 43.0%.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1831 | The British Parliament outlaws payment in goods or in company scrip, which could only be spent at company stores. |
| 1847 | The UK Factories Act—AKA the Ten Hours Act—restricted the working hours for women and youth to 10 hours per day. |
| 1888 | The timeclock is invented by William Legrand Bundy in New York, allowing standardized tracking of working hours. |
| 1894 | The world’s first minimum wage is enacted in New Zealand, followed by Australia (1896), the UK (1909), and the U.S. (1938). |
| 1938 | The U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act is signed into law, making the 44-hour workweek standard, with overtime set at time-and-half pay. |
| 1943 | The U.S. Congress passes the Current Tax Payment Act, which required employers to withhold taxes from workers’ wages. |
| 1957 | ADP begins automating payroll with new computing technology, allowing batch payroll runs for the first time. |
| 1972 | Automated Clearing House payments are launched in California where payroll is deposited directly into employees accounts. |
| 1998 | Reloadable payroll cards offer an alternative to direct deposit and paper checks and work similar to debit cards. |
At the same time, pay delivery evolved beyond paper checks into direct deposit and options like payroll cards. That flexibility helps employers meet workers where they are, while keeping the underlying schedule consistent.
Then, Industrial payroll became more systematic, moving from wage packets to the modern “paycheck.” Later, the employee time clock helped employers tie wages to hours with greater precision.
In the 1970s, electronic rails like the Automated Clearing House (ACH) enabled direct deposit and scaled digital pay. Even so, fixed payroll cycles can still create timing gaps between work completed and bills due.
In 2013, Payactiv created and launched Earned Wage Access, giving workers on-demand access to wages they’ve already earned. That shift added flexibility without changing the underlying payroll schedule.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Payactiv creates and launches Earned Wage Access, giving workers access to their wages in real-time, instead of waiting until payday. |
| 2019–2022 | The COVID-19 pandemic forced millions into remote work, while increased government spending sent inflation rising. |
| 2026 | Almost half of Americans, 46%, say that the cost-of-living crisis is the worst they have ever seen, making waiting for payday even harder. |
Then, from 2019–2022, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed millions into remote work while rising prices squeezed household budgets.
By 2026, 46% of Americans said the cost-of-living crisis is the worst they’ve ever seen, making the wait between work completed and payday feel even harder.
Because payroll runs on fixed cycles, workers sometimes pay interest just to access already-earned wages sooner.
Earned Wage Access (EWA) lets employees access wages they’ve already earned, as they earn them, without borrowing against future pay.
America’s mountain of debt keeps rising, with auto and student loans driving much of the increase. This graphic shows how Earned Wage Access can help workers…
Household debt loads vary by metro, with several areas above a 2.5 DTI ratio. This graphic maps where pressure is highest and why pay timing matters.
Earned wage access vs estimated advances: find out how verified, employer-sponsored access avoids debt and improves retention.
2026-02-13 19:31:00
See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
Global electricity demand is accelerating—powered by electrification, industrial growth, and the explosive expansion of AI data centers.
But one country has pulled dramatically ahead.
China now generates more than double the electricity of any other nation on Earth.
This chart tracks electricity generation by country from 2014 to 2024, highlighting China’s extraordinary rise. The data for this visualization comes from the Energy Institute’s Statistical Review of World Energy.
In 2014, China generated roughly 5,795 TWh of electricity, already more than the United States. By 2024, that figure had climbed to 10,087 TWh—a 74% increase in just 10 years. Over the same period, U.S. generation edged up from 4,363 TWh to 4,635 TWh, a comparatively modest 6% rise.
In 2024, China generated more than twice as much power as the United States and nearly five times as much as India.
| Country | 2014 (TWh) | 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | 2022 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
China |
5,794.5 | 6,133.0 | 7,166.0 | 7,779.1 | 8,848.7 | 10,086.9 |
|
United States |
4,363.3 | 4,348.9 | 4,464.5 | 4,287.6 | 4,537.7 | 4,634.8 |
|
India |
1,258.7 | 1,394.9 | 1,572.0 | 1,571.0 | 1,806.1 | 2,030.2 |
 Russia |
1,064.2 | 1,091.0 | 1,109.2 | 1,085.4 | 1,166.9 | 1,209.3 |
|
Japan |
1,062.7 | 1,063.7 | 1,082.9 | 1,011.0 | 1,040.6 | 1,016.4 |
This rapid expansion reflects China’s industrial scale, urbanization, and leadership in manufacturing.
China’s abundant and relatively low-cost electricity supply is increasingly seen as a strategic advantage, particularly as AI models and data centers require enormous amounts of power.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, U.S. tech billionaire Elon Musk suggested that the world could soon produce more semiconductor chips than it has the power to run—except in China. “China’s growth in electricity is tremendous,” he said, highlighting the country’s expanding energy capacity as a strategic advantage.
India is the only other major economy showing sustained, high growth. Electricity generation rose from 1,259 TWh in 2014 to over 2,030 TWh in 2024—an increase of more than 60%.
While still far below China’s level, India’s trajectory mirrors its economic expansion and rising energy demand from a growing middle class.
Rounding out the top four are Russia and Japan, though their growth stories look very different from China and India. Russia’s electricity generation increased modestly from 1,064 TWh in 2014 to 1,209 TWh in 2024, reflecting gradual industrial and export-driven demand.
Japan, by contrast, has seen largely flat output over the past decade. Generation stood at 1,063 TWh in 2014 and was 1,016 TWh in 2024, with fluctuations in between. Slower economic growth, demographic headwinds, and shifts in its energy mix have all contributed to relatively stagnant power demand.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out China’s Nuclear Energy Boom vs. Germany’s Total Phase-Out on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2026-02-13 05:36:02
See more visuals like this on the Voronoi app.
See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
The U.S. is often described as highly dependent on foreign sources for critical minerals. Yet every year, vast quantities of these same materials are sent to mine tailings as waste.
This visualization ranks critical minerals by the amount discarded into U.S. mining waste in 2023, highlighting where the largest volumes of potential supply remain unrecovered.
The data for this visualization comes from analysis by Professor Elizabeth Holley of the Colorado School of Mines and includes main-product output from U.S. hard-rock metals mines operating on federal land.
Aluminum stands out by a wide margin, with an estimated 229 million tonnes sent to tailings in 2023. That is more than 40 times the volume imported that year.
Lead follows with more than 81 million tonnes unrecovered, despite its importance for batteries and radiation shielding.
| Element | Unrecovered 2023 (kt) | U.S. Imports 2023 (kt) | Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 229,430 | 5,540 | Construction, Transportation |
| Lead | 81,910 | 570 | Batteries, Radiation shielding |
| Chromium | 5,310 | 440 | Stainless steel, Plating |
| Copper | 3,400 | 890 | Wiring, Plumbing |
| Manganese | 2,430 | 690 | Steel alloys, Batteries |
| Nickel | 1,020 | 160 | Stainless steel, Batteries |
| Rare Earth Oxides | 560 | 10 | Magnets, Wind turbines |
| Antimony | 380 | 20 | Flame retardants, Alloys |
| Cobalt | 280 | 10 | Lithium-ion batteries, Superalloys |
| Lithium | 90 | 3 | Batteries, Glass/ceramics |
Several minerals essential to clean energy technologies also appear prominently. Copper, nickel, lithium, cobalt, and rare earth oxides are all present in mining waste at volumes far exceeding current import levels. These materials are critical for electric vehicles, grid infrastructure, wind turbines, and battery storage.
Recovering even a fraction of what is discarded could ease supply constraints and reduce exposure to geopolitical risks.
“The challenge lies in recovery,” Professor Holley told the Colorado School of Mines’ Mines Newsroom.
“It’s like getting salt out of bread dough—we need much more research, development, and policy support to make the recovery of these critical minerals economically feasible.”
Reprocessing tailings could offer a dual benefit. Economically, it could strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on imports from a small number of foreign producers, particularly China.
Environmentally, it could lower the need for new mines, which often face long permitting timelines and local opposition.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Every Mineral Deemed Critical to U.S. Security in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
