EVs are still struggling to gain traction in the United States, but Tesla remains strong atop the list, and the Toyota bZ is surging upwards.
The third quarter of 2026 has come to a close, and sales of EVs have faltered even further. 725,888 battery-electric vehicles have found homes so far this year, down 30 percent from the first nine months of 2025. The third quarter was especially poor, with sales down 40 percent overall, likely due in part to a sharp increase in sales during Q3 2025 as customers sought to take advantage of the federal tax credit before it was eliminated at the end of September. We've reviewed the data from the first three quarters of the year to create a list of the 10 bestselling EVs of 2026 so far in 2026.
Before we begin, we'd like to point out that some automakers don't break out sales numbers for every model in their lineup or for electric versions of nameplates also sold with gas powertrains. The main culprits are Tesla and Rivian, which don't break out sales numbers for individual models. In these cases, we use estimates to provide an idea of where popular EV models stand. While we formerly used estimates from Automotive News, starting this year, we're switching to Cox Automotive estimates.
Kia’s three-row electric SUV has snuck back into the top ten, despite a third quarter that was 28 percent worse than Q3 2025. Sales for the EV9 through the first three quarters are essentially flat, with the EV9 moving 12,448 units over the same period last year.
Source link
