The share of gasoline cars in global vehicle sales fell below 50% for the first time ever as the Hormuz shock and the resulting record-high fuel prices accelerated the previously sluggish shift toward EVs outside China.
Hell, they’re doing so well EVs were more than 25% of cars sold in the US last quarter - and even at that low percentage, total unit sales of EVs in the US was second only to China.
Retail sales of the battery-electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models qualifying for the incentive fell 26.6% and 13.9% year over year, respectively. Even with those declines, electrified vehicles, including BEVs, PHEVs and hybrids (HEVs), accounted for 26.9% of U.S. retail sales in the second quarter of 2026, according to Urban Science’s daily new-vehicle sales data through June 30, 2026.
My cynical but not wrong take as a US citizen who drives an old normal-sized car:
The vehicles people choose to drive are so freaking huge that their electric versions will probably need 200kwh battery packs, making them even more expensive than EVs already are here.
Though on the other hand, the people around me DO love spending ridiculous sums on their cars too.
The EV with the largest battery available in the US the GMC Hummer EV (side note: I want one. They’re the dumbest things I’ve ever seen. Seriously, who thought this was a good idea?) with a 246kwh battery pack - the next highest I could find is 205 kwh for the Chevrolet Silverado with the Max Range battery package (estimated range 478 miles). Both have massive batteries, but that’s what’s required if you’re towing using an EV - nearly all other EVs in the US sit at around 85-110 kwh for the sedan/SUV/Crossover segment , and 65 for electric roller skates like the bolt (no hate for the bolt, it’s pretty nice. It’s just so tiny.)
Hell, they’re doing so well EVs were more than 25% of cars sold in the US last quarter - and even at that low percentage, total unit sales of EVs in the US was second only to China.
(source)
That is honestly much higher than I would have expected for the US. A rare piece of semi-good news from over there for once.
My cynical but not wrong take as a US citizen who drives an old normal-sized car:
The vehicles people choose to drive are so freaking huge that their electric versions will probably need 200kwh battery packs, making them even more expensive than EVs already are here.
Though on the other hand, the people around me DO love spending ridiculous sums on their cars too.
Nah.
The EV with the largest battery available in the US the GMC Hummer EV (side note: I want one. They’re the dumbest things I’ve ever seen. Seriously, who thought this was a good idea?) with a 246kwh battery pack - the next highest I could find is 205 kwh for the Chevrolet Silverado with the Max Range battery package (estimated range 478 miles). Both have massive batteries, but that’s what’s required if you’re towing using an EV - nearly all other EVs in the US sit at around 85-110 kwh for the sedan/SUV/Crossover segment , and 65 for electric roller skates like the bolt (no hate for the bolt, it’s pretty nice. It’s just so tiny.)