EV sales rebound as higher gas prices push buyers toward plug-ins
Cox Automotive said U.S. EV sales rose in the second quarter of 2026 after a slower stretch, with about 247,000 vehicles sold.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
U.S. electric-vehicle sales picked up in the second quarter of 2026 as higher gasoline prices gave shoppers another reason to consider plug-in models. Cox Automotive said buyers purchased about 247,000 EVs during the quarter, up 14.7% from the start of the year.
The rebound followed a sluggish fall and winter for the EV market, according to Cox Automotive’s second-quarter analysis. The firm said automakers reported some of their strongest EV results since the federal EV tax credit was eliminated last year.
The Verge reported that the U.S. war on Iran sent gasoline prices sharply higher, helping draw more American car buyers toward electric vehicles and hybrids. Hybrids were a notable part of that shift, according to The Verge.
Sales improve after a weaker stretch
Cox Automotive’s figures point to a market that improved from the beginning of 2026, though The Verge said EV sales have not returned to pandemic-era levels. The second-quarter gain still marked a change in direction after months of weaker demand.
The loss of the federal EV tax credit last year had put pressure on the market, according to Cox Automotive. Without that incentive, automakers had been trying to sell EVs in a tougher pricing environment before the second-quarter increase.
Gas prices appear to have changed the calculation for some shoppers, according to The Verge. When fuel costs rise, vehicles that use less gasoline, including plug-in models and hybrids, can become more attractive to buyers comparing long-term driving costs.
Hybrids remain part of the shift
The Verge said the turn toward electrified vehicles was especially visible in hybrids. The report did not provide a separate hybrid sales total in the excerpted figures, but it identified hybrids as a key area of buyer interest alongside fully electric vehicles.
Cox Automotive’s second-quarter data offered one clear measure of the EV recovery: about 247,000 EVs sold, a 14.7% increase from the start of the year. The firm’s analysis suggests automakers entered the middle of 2026 with better EV momentum than they had during the previous fall and winter.
The improvement does not settle the market’s longer-term direction. Cox Automotive’s data and The Verge’s reporting show a short-term lift tied to fuel prices and stronger quarterly sales, while also noting that EV demand remains below the highs reached earlier in the decade.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.