BEVs account for about 5.6% of U.S. sales

Cox Automotive said on May 15 that battery-electric vehicles accounted for 5.6% of total U.S. new-vehicle sales in April, a figure that circulated widely on social media this week after industry observers cited the firm’s latest market monitor. The company estimated April U.S. EV sales at 76,889 units, down 23.1% from a year earlier and 6.2% from March. The April share was slightly below the 5.8% EV share Cox reported for the first quarter of 2026. Tesla remained the largest EV seller in April, with 37,550 units and a 48.8% share of the EV market, Cox said. ### Where does the 5.6% figure come from? Cox Automotive published the figure in its April 2026 EV Market Monitor, dated May 15. The report said April EV sales “eased slightly from March as overall new-vehicle demand softened,” placing battery-electric vehicles at 5.6% of all new U.S. vehicle sales for the month. Cox also said used EV sales rose to 42,080 units in April, up 16.7% from a year earlier, while new-EV days’ supply fell to 79. (coxautoinc.com) S&P Global Mobility projected on April 30 that overall U.S. light-vehicle sales for April would reach about 1.40 million units at a 16.3 million seasonally adjusted annual rate. That broader market backdrop helps explain why EV share can move even when monthly EV volumes remain sizable. ### Is the market still growing, or has it stalled? (coxautoinc.com) Cox Automotive said first-quarter 2026 EV sales were 216,399 units, down 27% from a year earlier, with EV share holding at 5.8% of total new-vehicle sales. The firm said that was unchanged from the fourth quarter of 2025 and well below the 10.6% peak reached in the third quarter of 2025. (spglobal.com) April’s 5.6% share therefore fits a pattern of stabilization at a lower level after the late-2025 drop. Cox said recent consumer research showed many shoppers still favored fuel-efficient gasoline vehicles and hybrids over EVs, even as higher fuel prices renewed interest in efficiency. ### Why are Toyota, Honda and Kia part of this conversation? (coxautoinc.com) Toyota, Honda and Kia have all kept fresh EV product in the U.S. pipeline even as overall EV share remains modest. Toyota’s U.S. lineup now includes the refreshed 2026 bZ, the new bZ Woodland and the new C-HR battery-electric crossover. Toyota said the bZ Woodland reached dealerships in March 2026, while the all-new C-HR also went on sale in March. (coxautoinc.com) Honda is already selling the 2026 Prologue in the U.S., and Honda has said the Honda 0 SUV will be introduced first in North America in the first half of 2026 as the first model in its 0 Series. Kia has continued to expand its EV range with the 2026 EV6, priced from $37,900 plus destination, and said on April 1 that the all-new 2027 EV3 would launch in the U.S. in late 2026. (pressroom.toyota.com) Kia also unveiled the 2026 EV4 sedan in the United States at the New York International Auto Show. ### What about the claim that Honda reported its first-ever loss? Honda reported on May 14 consolidated financial results for the year ended March 31, 2026, and separately disclosed in March that it expected losses tied to a reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy in Canada. (automobiles.honda.com) Honda’s investor-relations page lists a May 14 notice on differences between forecasts and actual results, alongside its full-year results and a business briefing. (kiamedia.com) Honda said on March 12 that it now expected to record losses in consolidated results for the fiscal year ended March 2026 after suspending its plan to establish a comprehensive EV value chain in Ontario, Canada. The company did report a net loss for that fiscal year, but the broader “first-ever loss” characterization seen in social posts should be read against Honda’s specific consolidated reporting period and the company’s stated reason for the hit. (global.honda) ### What is the next concrete thing to watch? Honda has said the Honda 0 SUV will reach North America in the first half of 2026. Kia said the EV3 is expected in the U.S. in late 2026, and Toyota said its expanded 2026 BEV lineup — including the bZ, bZ Woodland and C-HR — is already moving through U.S. dealerships. Those launches will provide the next direct test of whether fresh models can lift EV share above the 5%-to-6% range Cox reported for April. (global.honda 1) (global.honda 2)