US EV Sales Held Near 6 Percent in Q3 2026 — Rivian Grew 45 Percent While Ford's EVs Fell 80 Percent

Americans bought about 239,000 new battery-electric vehicles in the third quarter of 2026, according to Cox Automotive estimates, putting EV share at about 5.7 percent of new vehicle sales. The share stayed near 6 percent through much of 2026, and September also came in near 6 percent. The quarter fell about 3 percent from the second quarter of 2026, and about 45 percent from the third quarter of 2025 — the year-ago quarter that was inflated by buyers rushing to claim the $7,500 federal tax credit before it expired.

Brand results varied dramatically. Rivian grew 45 percent in the quarter, delivering 19,248 vehicles, while Toyota's electrified sales rose 28.5 percent. Ford sold only 6,047 electric vehicles in the quarter, an 80.2 percent fall, and Chevrolet Equinox EV sales dropped 92 percent. Tesla delivered 486,532 vehicles globally in the quarter, with Model 3 and Model Y making up 98 percent of deliveries. Cox also counted nearly 127,000 used electric vehicle sales in the quarter.

The verdict from analysts covering the numbers is simple: stabilized, not recovered. The post-credit market has found a floor near 6 percent, but growth now depends on products that sell on their own merits — which is exactly what Rivian's R2 quarter and Toyota's hybrid strength demonstrate, and what Ford's collapse shows the cost of getting wrong.