US EV Share Held Near 6 Percent in Q3 2026 as Rivian Surged and Ford EVs Fell 80 Percent

The Q3 2026 US electric vehicle market delivered a split-screen result. New EV sales stabilized at roughly 6 percent of the market, with Cox Automotive estimating that Americans bought approximately 239,000 new battery-electric vehicles in the quarter. EV share held between approximately 5 and 6 percent throughout 2026, and September also came in near 6 percent. The verdict is simple: stabilized, not recovered.

The comparison flatters no one and misleads a little. Q3 2025 was not a normal comparison period, because buyers rushed to claim the 7,500 dollar federal EV tax credit before it expired on September 30, 2025, pulling purchases forward. Q3 2026 is therefore measured against an artificially inflated baseline. Even so, automaker results varied dramatically. Rivian delivered 19,248 vehicles, up 45 percent. Toyota electrified sales rose 28.5 percent. GM sold 25,473 EVs, down 61.7 percent, while its total sales also fell 6 percent year over year. Ford EV sales fell 80.2 percent to 6,047 vehicles, and Chevrolet Equinox EV sales dropped 92 percent. Tesla delivered 486,532 vehicles globally in Q3 2026.

Cox Automotive counted nearly 127,000 used EV sales in Q3 2026, a sign that the secondhand electric market keeps growing even as new sales stall. The lesson from the quarter is that strong products can grow in a smaller market: Rivian 45 percent growth and Toyota bZ performance show demand exists for the right cars at the right price. Ford decision to convert the F-150 Lightning strategy toward an extended-range electric vehicle reflects the same pressure from the other side.