EV Sales Skyrocket in Q2
US auto retailers sold 300,000 new EVs, an increase of 48.4% year-over-year and a record for any quarter.

Cox Automotive forecasts the U.S. will welcome one million new EVs in 2023.
Ed Harvey, Pexels
Though the U.S. sold a record number of full battery-electric vehicles in the second quarter, Cox Automotive predicts dealers will fight to maintain that momentum.
According to Cox, U.S. auto retailers sold 300,000 new EVs, an increase of 48.4% year-over-year and a record for any quarter. U.S. EV share was 7.2%, up from 5.7% but down from the first-quarter high of an upwardly revised 7.3%.
Overall, Cox expects the country to welcome one million new EVs to its roads this year.
However, the data provider also reports that in late June, day’s supply of EVs jumped to over 100 compared to the industry average of 53 for internal combustion engine vehicles.
That leads Cox to predict that collaboration across many parties will be necessary to push EV sales.
“Building EVs is one thing, and many in the industry are proving excellent at that skill. Selling EVs is something different altogether,” Cox Automotive writes in “Electric Vehicle Sales in Q2 Strike Another Record, but Growth Ahead Will Be Hard Fought.” “Yes, EV sales records will continue to be set, and EV growth will continue to outpace overall industry growth, but the days of 75% year-over-year growth are in the rearview mirror. The hard-growth days are ahead.”
Cox also reported the following EV sales highlights for the second quarter:
Tesla remained the top seller in the U.S., selling over 175,000 units, a 34.8% increase from the previous quarter.
Tesla and other car manufacturers' price cuts and above-average incentive levels helped drive EV sales.
The average price paid for an EV was down nearly 20% year-over-year in June.
Tesla’s share of U.S. EV sales fell below 60% for the first time. Still, Chevrolet came in as a distant second. In fact, Tesla outsold Chevrolet 10 to one. Ford took third place in EV sales, while Hyundai came in fourth. Newcomer Rivian sold over 20,000 units.
Modelwise, one of every three EVs sold last quarter was a Tesla Model Y. Tesla's Model 3 sales, when combined with Model Y sales, constitute 50% of the U.S. electric vehicle market. The Model S, which was once the leader among high-end EVs, lost its top spot. In the super-luxury EV sedan market, the BMW i4 EV sedan is now the leader, having sold 6,777 units in the quarter.
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Industry

Autos More Appealing
Consumers gave new cars better scores again this year for design, performance and more as mass-market brands kept gaining on premium lineups, JD Power found in an annual poll.
Read More →
Used EVs Defy Overall Market
While the used-car market saw three months of price declines or stagnation, the used EV segment did the opposite – rising for three straight months.
Read More →
Gone to the Dogs
A Stellantis brand decided to have some fun with one of its SUVs’ design to address growing emphasis on family pets.
Read More →
OEM Poll Sees Industry Evolution
Kerrigan Advisors’ survey of automakers finds that tariffs, technology, network tightening and other factors are poised to reshape auto retail.
Read More →
Luxe N.C. Dealerships Change Hands
A collection of Italian and English brand franchises were handed off to the owner’s friend in the business and include the Carolinas’ only Ferrari retail stores.
Read More →
Exposure Drives Interest in Chinese Cars
At a recent demonstration, consumers had the chance to ride in a Chinese-branded vehicle, a firsthand experience that improved their perceptions and purchase intent.
Read More →
Automotive Consumers Sink Further in Debt
Most financing metrics hit records in the second quarter as more buyers locked themselves into long terms and high monthly payments.
Read More →
Agent Advocate
Rob Mancuso, who comes from a long line of auto dealers, values general agents’ place in the industry and makes a case for them taking an even bigger seat at the table.
Read More →
Driving Under Distraction
Though consumers gave higher marks to new vehicles in JD Power’s most recent initial-quality poll, high-tech interference worsened, pointing to craving for simplicity.
Read More →
Affordable New Cars a Thing of the Past
More than one out of five new vehicles sell for more than $60,000, according to Edmunds. That's up 7% compared to prepandemic 2019.
Read More →