U.S. EV Sales Fell in April While Hybrid Sales Rose

Sales of new electric vehicles fell in April while gasoline prices rose across the United States. Hybrid vehicle sales increased during the same period. Data from Edmunds showed an 18 percent drop in EV sales from March to April. Cox Automotive reported a smaller decline of about 6 percent. Both figures indicate that higher fuel costs have not produced a broad shift to battery-electric models.

Drury, director of insights at Edmunds, said searches for electrified vehicles remained strong but did not lead to purchases. The average transaction price for an EV was $6,214 higher than for internal-combustion vehicles, according to Cox Automotive.

Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at S&P Global Mobility, said buyers must drive more than 40,000 miles to recover the price difference at current fuel costs. Higher insurance rates and home-charger installation can extend that period.

Hybrid sales rose 20 percent year-over-year and nearly 50 percent since February, Edmunds data showed. Toyota has removed gasoline-only versions of the Camry and 2026 RAV4 from its lineup. Used EV sales increased 3 percent from March to April with a smaller price premium than new models.

Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights at Cox Automotive, said used EVs sold faster than used gasoline vehicles. 56 per gallon on Thursday. Europe and China recorded higher EV sales during the same period, according to BloombergNEF.