Episode Details

These three EVs show that buyers still reward the right product

EV sales in the United States slid sharply in the first half of 2026. Across the industry, sales of all electric vehicles declined by 23.7%. Looked at in terms of volume, Americans bought 144,680 fewer EVs this year versus the same period last year.

While the vast majority of EV models sold fewer units than in 2025, there have been some bright spots. Three EVs in particular have achieved remarkable growth in 2026, going against industry trends. We only considered EVs that were on sale throughout 2025 and 2026, as this provides a more meaningful assessment of growth. We’ve also excluded very low-volume EVs, such as the Mercedes E-Sprinter, as their sales volumes are not high enough to merit consideration.

Based on Cox Automotive’s EV sales report, these vehicles saw the most significant year-on-year growth this year so far.

Related: The 5 Best-Selling EVs of 2026

Kia EV9 (+42.5%)

The Kia EV9 was one of the first three-row electric SUVs to go on sale in 2023, and its sales have increased by a healthy 42.9% in 2026 with 7,035 units sold. The related Hyundai Ioniq 9’s sales are up by an even greater percentage in 2026 (+379%), but that’s only because it went on sale several months into 2025, so H1 2025 sales of the Hyundai were minimal.

Kia didn’t significantly update the EV9 for 2026. It received a new NACS charging port and a Nightfall Edition trim. The automaker even canceled the planned launch of the EV9 GT, a high-performance version of the SUV.

It's likely that buyers slowly warmed to the idea of buying a larger, family-friendly EV. The EV9 has a range of up to 305 miles and is available with a potent 422-horsepower powertrain. It’s comfortable, quiet, practical, and looks fantastic. 

Related: I Tested the 2026 Kia EV9 GT-Line Long Range AWD by Putting My Toddlers in One. Here's How it Went

Toyota bZ (+89.8%)

In the first half of 2026, Toyota sold 17,553 bZ crossovers, an increase of almost 90%. For a vehicle that had a lukewarm reception when it was first launched as the bZ4X, this is a tremendous turnaround. Toyota made some meaningful changes to the 2026 bZ that undoubtedly contributed to its growth this year:

• Larger battery boosted the maximum range from 252 to 314 miles
• AWD models got a power bump from 215 to 338 horsepower
• NACS port enabled

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