Tesla’s U.S. sales were down -14.4% through the first three quarters of 2026, but it was still far and away the top electric car brand.
Tesla’s 386,194 deliveries represented 52.9% of the total EV market, which fell -30.3% overall for the year, according to Cox Automotive. That number would’ve been much lower, if not propped up by Tesla’s results.
The only brands that saw increases during the period were Rivian (+26.8%), Subaru (+46.7%), Lexus (+137.4%) and Toyota (+183.4). All four expanded their lineups with new volume models this year, but combined for just 103,076 deliveries.
The top-selling individual model was the Tesla Model Y and it wasn’t even close. Cox counted 262,491 deliveries of the compact SUVs while the Tesla Model 3 came in a distant second at 106,962.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 grabbed third at 31,112 and was followed by the Toyota BZ at 24,944 and Chevrolet Equinox EV at 18,154. Total industry sales for the third quarter were up 6.1% from the second quarter, however, suggesting that elevated gas prices are becoming a factor.
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“What we’re seeing now is a market finding its footing again,” Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of Industry Insights at Cox Automotive, said in a news release. “The third quarter was the highest EV sales volume in a year, and improvement through 2026 suggests the reset phase is largely behind us. The next stage of growth will be driven by great products, competitive pricing, and automakers that continue to give consumers compelling reasons to make the switch. And high pump prices are likely helping as well. With gas prices well above $4 a gallon, electric vehicles look better than ever.”
