Cox 2Q 2026 EV report: Cybertruck still #1 EV pickup

[YDR37]

one would think with the ongoing "straight Of Hormuz" debacle with Iran and the big bucks being militarily spent people would think about purchasing EVs. And it would be better spent on reinstitution of the $7,500 tax reduction. Even double it.

Some states are doing what they can. California is about to offer $3,500 instant rebates to first-time EV buyers.

There is a $50,000 price cap for the rebate, but with an unusual twist -- the price cap goes away if you buy from a California-based company. Since Tesla moved its HQ from California to Texas, the Cybertruck and Model Y Performance aren't eligible for the rebate -- but the equally expensive Rivian R1T and Lucid Gravity potentially are.

Sponsored

 

[Mini2nut]

Many don't realize that the ICE Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are built on the same assembly line.

 

[YDR37]

one would think with the ongoing "straight Of Hormuz" debacle with Iran and the big bucks being militarily spent people would think about purchasing EVs.

According to Cox, Americans are now opting for hybrids, rather than pure BEVs. Hybrids are increasingly accepted as a "safe" and "normal" choice:

Hybrid sales are soaring in the U.S. ... Americans bought 2.2% fewer new cars in the first half of 2026, but 9% more hybrids, according to Kelley Blue Book data.

Higher gas prices likely played some role in the surge. But so did automaker decisions. Some top sellers, like Toyota’s RAV4 SUV and Camry sedan, and Jeep’s reborn Cherokee SUV, are available only as hybrids in the 2026 model year.

But while there is growing acceptance of hybrids, Americans are still reluctant to go fully electric:

The International Energy Agency estimates that at least one in four new cars sold globally is now electric. In the U.S., the figure remains dramatically lower.

Just 5.8% of all new cars sold in the U.S. last quarter were electric.

That figure is much higher in some areas. In California, for example, BEVs (not including hybrids) had over 20% market share in 2025. Of course, if the average is only 5.8%, it means that other areas were even lower.

 

[kpanda17]

one would think with the ongoing "straight Of Hormuz" debacle with Iran and the big bucks being militarily spent people would think about purchasing EVs. And it would be better spent on reinstitution of the $7,500 tax reduction. Even double it.

my thick headed brother in law, gasser mindset, now says, hey my Hundiya hybrid gets 50 MPG. My brother has a Tesla MY, cheap mindset and only focused on saving money.

both have children and grandchildren
WTF, also help save the earth for them

 

[roadrunner32]

kpanda17, yeah I was like that too, not so much for saving money but because EVs were more efficient better driving etc. but years ago, before Tesla my thinking was all about "what are we doing, we are giving money to countries that hate us, and we were fighting these wars. It's non sensical. there has to be a better way." well there was, solar and wind generators. Costly yes, but so was these wars. Now we have the alternative, but America don't want it. Why? Big oil, the Big Three. both?

 

[HaulingAss]

Many don't realize that the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are built on the same assembly line.

Only the ICE versions use the same assembly lines for the Silverado and Sierra. The EV Silverado and Sierra are built on different assembly lines from each other.

 

[HaulingAss]

But while there is growing acceptance of hybrids, Americans are still reluctant to go fully electric:

That is absolutely true and it's the direct result of anti-EV misinformation disseminated by competing financial interests (media, oil and gas, legacy auto interests).

Most of the rest of the world is transitioning to electric vehicles at a much faster rate. The U.S. excels at transitioning the sex of American youth, not to electric vehicles.

 

[YDR37]

That is absolutely true and it's the direct result of anti-EV misinformation disseminated by competing financial interests (media, oil and gas, legacy auto interests).

If we're pointing fingers, most analysts would suggest that the number one reason for declining EV sales in the US is political: the loss of the federal tax credit. US EV sales were rising right up until September 30, 2025. Then they suddenly tanked, and have yet to recover to previous levels. For example, Cox puts it like this:

EV sales continue a very slow recovery from a chaotic 2025. In late 2025, the federal government ended a $7,500 tax incentive that helped Americans buy electric cars. That caused a brief sales surge as Americans raced to claim the tax credit while they still could, then a dive as the incentive disappeared.

Automakers face a diverging market as EV sales climb overseas.

 

[HaulingAss]

If we're pointing fingers, most analysts would agree that the number one reason for declining EV sales in the US is political: the loss of the federal tax credit. US EV sales were rising right up until September 30, 2025. Then they tanked, and have yet to recover to previous levels.

The US was far behind the transition to EVs relative to other developed nations well before the tax credits went away. I attribute much of that to all the anti-EV misinformation propagated by the media. many other countries have also ended most of the incentives and yet EV sales are still growing.

With new Model 3's starting at only $36,990 and Model Y's at $39,990, electric cars don't need government incentives to compete favorably with gas powered cars. All they need is smart consumers that haven't been tainted by anti-EV competing interests.

 

[YDR37]

With new Model 3's starting at only $36,990 and Model Y's at $39,990, electric cars don't need government incentives to compete favorably with gas powered cars. All they need is smart consumers that haven't been tainted by anti-EV competing interests.

In that case, California apparently has the smartest consumers, with 23.9% EV adoption in 2025, close to the global average of around 25%. Even so, California is now offering $3,500 instant rebates to new EV buyers.

Other states with relatively "smart consumers" (15-20% adoption): Colorado, Washington, Nevada, Oregon.

Sponsored