EVwire brief: Cox Automotive’s EV Sales Report for Q1 2026 showed that the US saw 216,399 EVs sold during the quarter, a 27% YoY drop from last year’s 296,589 units.
Tesla led the U.S. EV market, with the Tesla Model Y delivering 78,591 units and the Tesla Model 3 reaching 31,672 units. These two vehicles accounted for more than half (51%) of all EV sales in the country in the first quarter.
Apart from Tesla, other standout performers for Q1 2026 include Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus, Rivian, Hyundai, Honda, Chevrolet, and Cadillac.
Here’s the US’ first quarter EV sales report:
The US’ EV sales during the first quarter of 2026 (Source)
Context:
The broader U.S. EV market declined by 27% year-over-year in Q1. Despite this, several brands posted notable gains.
The refreshed Toyota bZ jumped to 10,029 units (+79% YoY), finishing as the #3 best-selling EV overall. Its luxury sibling, the Lexus RZ, also surged to 4,456 units (+207% YoY).
The Toyota bz saw a 79% YoY sales increase
The Lexus RZ surged 207% YoY
Rivian showed solid resilience in the premium adventure segment with 10,365 total units (+21% YoY). The R1S delivered 5,494 units (+2.6% YoY) and the R1T added 1,658 units (-4.0% YoY).
Cadillac continued building momentum in the luxury space with healthy sales across its growing EV lineup. The Lyriq posted 3,370 units (-21.6% YoY) while the Optiq performed strongly at 2,847 units (+65.9% YoY).
Here’s Cox’s breakdown of the US’ electric vehicle sales by model:
Vehicles like the Cadillac Optiq saw notable YoY growth
The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 remain the dominating force in the US EV market
In the mainstream SUV space, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 posted 9,790 units (+13.7% YoY) and the Chevrolet Equinox EV delivered 9,589 units (-7.2% YoY).
The Honda Prologue contributed a respectable 3,319 units in what appears to be a normalization after a strong prior-year launch phase.
The Tesla Model Y is still the dominating force in the US EV segment
The Tesla Cybertruck also remained the top-selling electric pickup in the U.S. with 3,519 units, ranking ninth overall among all EVs.
Overall, Q1 2026 is a quarter that demonstrates both Tesla’s continued strength and encouraging signs of real competition and execution from other automakers.
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