- Tesla retained market dominance but saw an 8.6% drop in its market share.
- Rivian tumbled to ninth place overall, with a sharp 37.1% drop in Q1 sales.
- Ford’s F-150 Lightning remained the top-selling electric truck despite a dip.
Americans bought more
electric vehicles
in the first quarter of 2025, but it’s not just enthusiasm for clean energy that’s pushing the numbers. Sales of EVs were up 11.4% year-over-year, with some of that bump likely driven by fears of disappearing federal tax credits and
looming tariffs
Even gas-powered vehicles received some attention, with purchasers hastening to secure their buys before changes occurred in rebates or pricing. Panic purchasing isn’t limited to toilet paper these days.
More:
Americans Are Snatching Up Cars as If It Were Black Friday Ahead of Tariff Implementation
In the first quarter of 2024, the overall market for new vehicles (irrespective of their drivetrain type) saw an increase of 4.3%, amounting to approximately 3.9 million units sold, as reported.
Auto News
This places EVs at 7.6% of the market, showing a significant rise compared to last year, indicating that although electric vehicle adoption remains inconsistent, it is steadily progressing, for now.
Brands: Tesla Remains On Top, Yet Challenges Loom
It likely came as no surprise that Tesla continues to lead in electric vehicle sales. In the first quarter, they sold 128,100 vehicles, securing a substantial 43.5% share of the EV market. Although this dominance persists, it represents an 8.6 percentage point decrease compared to the previous year. Part of this decline may be attributed to delays in introducing the revised Model Y. However, much of the drop could also stem from increased market competition along with the continuing challenges.
Elon Effect
a combination of social media drama and dubious business choices that cause both investors and customers to become uneasy.
Ford maintains its strong position in second place, with sales of 22,550 electric vehicles in the first quarter, marking an 11.5% rise from the previous year and capturing 7.7% of the American electric vehicle market. However, the most intriguing developments occurred right beneath this ranking.
Rivian, which ranked third place previously
, tumbled all the way down to ninth place after a steep 37.1% drop, totaling just 8,553 sales. Hyundai, previously in fourth, slid to No. 6 despite a modest 5.1% gain to 12,843 units. Its Kia sibling dropped from fifth to eighth, as sales fell 24.1% to 8,665.
Taking their places,
Chevrolet
jumped to the third position with 19,186 units sold, showing a significant rise of 114.2%, whereas BMW moved up to fourth place with 13,858 vehicle deliveries, marking an increase of 26.4% compared to last year’s figures. Other noteworthy changes occurred too; for instance, Porsche nearly quadrupled its electric vehicle sales during the first quarter.
thanks to the electric version of the Macan
On the contrary, Mercedes experienced the steepest decline, seeing their sales drop by 58.3% even with robust lease offers and significant promotions, as several of our readers highlighted. To review all the figures and unexpected outcomes, take a look at the complete brand analysis below.
BEST SELLING EV BRANDS
|
Brand |
Q1-25 |
Q1-24 |
YOY |
|
| Tesla | 128,100 | 140,187 | -8.6% | 43.5% |
| Ford | 22,550 | 20,223 | 11.5% | 7.7% |
| Chevrolet | 19,186 | 8,957 | 114.2% | 6.5% |
| BMW | 13,538 | 10,712 | 26.4% | 4.6% |
| Hyundai | 12,843 | 12,218 | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| VW | 9,564 | 6,167 | 55.1% | 3.3% |
| Honda | 9,561 | – | – | 3.2% |
| Kia | 8,656 | 11,401 | -24.1% | 2.9% |
| Rivian | 8,553 | 13,588 | -37.1% | 2.9% |
| Cadillac | 7,972 | 5,800 | 37.4% | 2.7% |
| Nissan | 6,471 | 5,284 | 22.5% | 2.2% |
| Audi | 5,905 | 5,714 | 3.3% | 2.0% |
| Toyota | 5,610 | 1,897 | 195.7% | 1.9% |
| Acura | 4,813 | – | – | 1.6% |
| GMC | 4,728 | 1,668 | 183.5% | 1.6% |
| Porsche | 4,358 | 1,247 | 249.5% | 1.5% |
| Mercedes | 3,472 | 8,336 | -58.3% | 1.2% |
| Subaru | 3,131 | 1,147 | 173.0% | 1.1% |
| Volvo | 2,718 | 996 | 172.9% | 0.9% |
| Jeep | 2,595 | – | – | 0.9% |
| Dodge | 1,947 | – | – | 0.7% |
| Genesis | 1,496 | 992 | 50.8% | 0.5% |
| Lexus | 1,453 | 1,603 | -9.4% | 0.5% |
| Mini | 696 | 824 | -15.5% | 0.2% |
| Jaguar | 381 | 256 | 48.8% | 0.1% |
| Other EVs | 5,930 | 6,764 | -12.3% | 2.0% |
|
Total (Estimates) |
296,227 |
265,981 |
11.40% |
100% |
Models: The Y Slips But The 3 Soars
When examining specific models, the Tesla Model Y remains atop the U.S. electric vehicle sales leaderboard; however, its dominance has weakened. In the first quarter, it sold 64,051 vehicles, which represents a significant drop of 33.8% compared to the previous year.
postponed release of the updated “Juniper” edition
didn’t help matters, as only the pricier Launch Edition was available early in the quarter. We’ll see how the new Juniper performs once the entire range goes on sale.
On the flip side, the Model 3 is having its moment. It saw a huge 70.3% increase in sales, hitting 52,520 units in Q1. For perspective, that’s nearly as many as the next three brands (Ford, Chevrolet, and BMW) sold combined, at 55,274. Tesla’s aggressive sales strategy likely played a role, with improved lease offers and zero-percent financing, though that conveniently wrapped up in April.
More:
Tesla Model 3 Performance vs. BMW 330i xDrive: Which One Is Worth Your $47K?
The
The Ford Mustang Mach-E stayed in the third position.
Among electric vehicle models, those with 11,607 units sold experienced a notable 21% growth, largely due to substantial discounts and leasing promotions. The top five also included the Chevy Equinox EV with 10,329 units, the Honda Prologue with 9,561 units, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which had 8,611 sales—a rise of 26.2%.
F-150 Dominates but Cybertruck Is Gaining Ground in Trucks Category
As for
Electric pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning
It remains the top-selling model despite a 7.2% decrease in deliveries from the previous year in 2024. The Tesla Cybertruck, whether you adore or detest it (many people feel strongly about both sides), has shown progress as sales climbed to 6,406 units, marking an increase of 128.5% since this time last year when the figures were unimpressively low.
GMC does not break down sales figures based on vehicle type, whereas Rivian does. The company reported that their R1T pickup truck sold only 1,727 units this quarter, marking a significant decline of 47% compared to the first quarter of 2023. Despite receiving considerable criticism online, the Cybertruck continues to outperform the R1T substantially in terms of sales. Notably,
not the million-unit-a-year miracle
Elon previously made promises, yet the vehicle continues to attract more buyers than the R1T, which ought to raise concerns within Rivian’s leadership team.
TOP SELLING ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN THE US MARKET
|
Model |
Q1-25 |
Q1-24 |
YOY |
| Tesla Model Y | 64,051 | 96,729 | -33.8% |
| Tesla Model 3 | 52,520 | 30,842 | 70.3% |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 11,607 | 9,589 | 21.0% |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 10,329 | – | – |
| Honda Prologue | 9,561 | – | – |
| Hyundai Ioniq5 | 8,611 | 6,822 | 26.2% |
| VW ID.4 | 7,663 | 6,167 | 24.3% |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 7,187 | 7,743 | -7.2% |
| BMW i4 | 7,125 | 4,537 | 57.0% |
| Tesla Cybertruck | 6,406 | 2,803 | 128.5% |
| Chevrolet Blazer | 6,187 | 600 | 931.2% |
| Toyota BZ4X | 5,610 | 1,897 | 195.7% |
| Rivian R1S | 5,357 | 8,017 | -33.2% |
| Acura ZDX | 4,813 | – | |
| Cadillac Lyriq | 4,300 | 5,800 | -25.9% |
| Nissan Ariya | 4,148 | 4,142 | 0.1% |
| Tesla Model X | 3,843 | 5,607 | -31.5% |
| Ford E-Transit | 3,756 | 2,891 | 29.9% |
| Kia EV9 | 3,756 | 4,007 | -6.3% |
| Kia EV6 | 3,738 | 4,059 | -7.9% |
| BMW iX | 3,626 | 2,945 | 23.1% |
| GMC Hummer Truck/ SUV | 3,479 | 1,668 | 108.6% |
| Porsche Macan | 3,339 | ||
| Hyundai loniq6 | 3,318 | 3,646 | -9.0% |
| Audi Q6 e-tron | 3,246 | – | – |
| Subaru Solterra | 3,131 | 1,147 | 173.0% |
| Jeep Wagoneer | 2,595 | – | |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2,383 | 1,061 | – |
| Nissan Leaf | 2,323 | 1,142 | 103.4% |
| Cadillac Escalade EV | 1,956 | – | |
| Dodge Charger EV | 1,947 | ||
| VW ID.Buzz | 1,901 | ||
| BMW i5 | 1,899 | 2,239 | -15.2% |
| Audi Q4 e-tron | 1,874 | 2,678 | -30.0% |
| Rivian R1T | 1,727 | 3,261 | -47.0% |
| Cadillac Optiq | 1,716 | – | – |
| Mercedes EQB | 1,622 | 671 | 141.7% |
| Rivian EDV | 1,469 | 2,310 | -36.4% |
| Lexus RZ | 1,453 | 1,603 | -9.4% |
| Tesla Model S | 1,280 | 4,206 | -69.6% |
| GMC Sierra EV | 1,249 | – | – |
| Volvo EX30 | 1,185 | – | – |
| Kia Niro | 1,162 | 3,335 | -65.2% |
| Porsche Taycan | 1,019 | 1,247 | -18.3% |
| Volvo EX90 | 1,000 | – | – |
| Hyundai Kona | 914 | 1,750 | -47.8% |
| BMW i7 | 888 | 991 | -10.4% |
| Mercedes EQE | 742 | 5,113 | -85.5% |
| Genesis GV60 | 733 | 473 | 55.0% |
| Genesis GV70 | 712 | 415 | 71.6% |
| Mini Countryman | 693 | – | |
| Audi Q8 e-tron | 535 | 2,260 | -76.3% |
| Mercedes EQS | 509 | 2,552 | -80.1% |
| Mercedes G-Class | 509 | – | – |
| Jaguar I-Pace | 381 | 256 | 48.8% |
| Volvo C40 | 315 | 289 | 9.0% |
| Chevy Brightdrop | 274 | 256 | 7.0% |
| Audi e-tron | 250 | 776 | -67.8% |
| Volvo XC40 | 218 | 707 | -69.2% |
| Mercedes E-Sprinter | 90 | – | |
| Genesis G80 | 51 | 104 | -51.0% |
| Chevy Bolt EV/EUV | 13 | 7,040 | -99.8% |
| Mini Cooper | 3 | 824 | -99.6% |
|
Other Models |
5,930 | 6,764 | -12.3% |
|
Total (Estimates) |
296,227 |
265,981 |
+ 11.4% |