Automakers sold more than 1.2 million electric vehicles in 2025, despite major headwinds such as the disappearance of the federal tax credit for plug-in models and tariffs on imported cars and parts.
Automakers sold 1,275,714 electric vehicles in 2025, enough to account for nearly 8% of total U.S. vehicle sales that year, according to new data released by Cox Automotive on Tuesday, January 13th. However, industry-wide EV sales also fell 2% from the 1,301,441 electric vehicles automakers sold in 2024.
Cox said overall EV sales for 2025 were inflated as car buyers rushed to purchase electric models in the third quarter of 2025, before the popular $7,500 tax credit for plug-in models expired in September by President Donald Trump’s administration and Congress. Automakers sold 365,830 EVs in the third quarter, compared to just 234,171 in the fourth quarter.
“2025 played out largely as expected, with federal EV incentive changes reshaping demand patterns and driving record sales in the third quarter,” Stephanie Valdez Streety, director of industry insights at Cox Automotive, said in a statement. “This change does not signal a retreat from electrification, but rather a structural shift towards a market increasingly driven by consumer choice.”
With that sales fluctuation in mind, the USA TODAY Cars team examined Cox’s data to create a list of the best and worst companies in 2025 when it comes to selling electric vehicles.
Here are the top 10 best-selling EV brands for each manufacturer in 2025.
1. Tesla
EV sales volume in 2025: 589,160
best selling electric car: Tesla Model Y
what they are saying: Tesla said in a statement to investors: “In the fourth quarter, we produced more than 434,000 vehicles, delivered more than 418,000 vehicles, and deployed 14.2 GWh of energy storage products, which is a record for deployments.”
2.Chevrolet
EV sales volume in 2025: 96,951
best selling electric car: Chevrolet Equinox
what they are saying: Chevrolet’s parent company, General Motors, said in a press release that the company will be “the industry’s second-largest EV seller by 2025.”
3. Hyundai
EV sales volume in 2025: 65,717
best selling electric car: HYUNDAI IONIC 5
what they are saying“Our diverse lineup of advanced electric vehicles and award-winning SUVs continues to set the standard for innovation, efficiency and value,” Hyundai said in a press release.
4. Cadillac
EV sales in 2025: 49,152
best selling electric car: Cadillac Lyric
what they are saying: Cadillac said in a press release that the Lyric is “the first electric SUV to earn the V-Series badge,” and the company said it is “Cadillac’s performance sub-brand and serves as the benchmark for performance and innovation at General Motors.”
5.BMW
EV sales in 2025: 42,483
best selling electric car:BMW i4
what they are saying: BMW said in a press release that its 2025 EV sales performance “reflects the overall U.S. market, where BEV demand slowed throughout the year and especially in the fourth quarter.” “At the same time, demand for electrification options remained strong as more customers opted for plug-in hybrid models,” the company added.
6.Rivian
EV sales in 2025: 42,098
best selling electric car:Rivian R1S
what they are saying: Rivian said in a press release: “For the full year 2025, Rivian produced 42,284 vehicles and delivered 42,247 vehicles. Both fourth quarter and full-year numbers are in line with Rivian’s expectations.”
7.Honda
EV sales in 2025: 39,194
best selling electric car: Honda Prologue
what they are sayingIn a press release, Honda said, “In addition to record hybrid sales for the third consecutive year, led by the CR-V Hybrid, Accord Hybrid, and Civic Hybrid, sales of the Prologue EV have also reached nearly 40,000 units, and 2025 will see record sales of electric models.”
8. Become
EV sales in 2025: 33,836
best selling electric car: Becomes EV9
what they are saying“The company’s all-electric three-row EV9 flagship SUV has won the prestigious ‘2024-2025 Texas Electric SUV’ award presented by the Texas Automotive Writers Association (TAWA) at the 2024 TAWA Annual ‘Truck Rodeo,'” Kia Motors said in a press release.
9. Volkswagen
EV sales volume in 2025: 28,513
best selling electric car:VW ID.4
what they are saying: Volkswagen announced in a press release that sales for the fourth quarter of 2025 decreased by 19.8% year-on-year compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. Volkswagen announced that it ended this year with a 13% decline compared to 2024. Auto industry analysts noted that the ID.4 was Volkswagen’s only model to increase sales in 2025.
10.GMC
EV sales volume in 2025: 23,784
best selling electric car: GMC Hummer Truck/SUV
what they are saying: GM said in a press release that the GMC brand “set new sales records for the second year in a row.” The company also said that across its brands it will be the industry’s second-largest EV seller by 2025.
