Why are electric cars heavier than gas cars?
Electric cars are heavy. Seriously. Automakers are developing new battery technologies to reduce load.
- The federal tax credit for electric vehicles, up to $7,500, is expected to expire on September 30th.
- Automotive shopping experts have reported a surge in consumer demand for EVs as deadlines approach.
- Some analysts have predicted a significant drop in EV sales if federal incentives are no longer available.
Automotive shopping experts say consumers are in a hurry to buy electric vehicles as the watch got caught up just seven days before the federal government’s EV tax credit expires on September 30th.
However, some warn that all EV sales will cease when the incentives go away.
As part of the mega tax bill signed into law in July, the federal clean vehicle tax credit expiration date was pushed up from its original expiration date in 2032 to September 30th. This means that the deadline for tax credits up to $7,500 for qualifying new EVs and up to $4,000 for used EVs has ended.
New data from car shopping website Cars.com, released on September 18th, showed that almost half of consumers considering purchasing an EV are accelerating their purchases. Cars.com said the site’s demand has increased by 33% for new EVs compared to this time a year ago. Demand for used EVs has increased by 22% compared to the same period last year.
Cars.com said nearly three-quarters of the consumers surveyed said it was a “major or contributing factor” in its decision to buy an EV. Cars.com conducted the survey on August 25-26, saying it had 950 respondents.
Cars.com said its survey showed that 70% of EV and plug-in hybrid shoppers are aware of the federal tax credit, with half or 53% knowing when it will end.
How long does the incentive last?
The federal government’s EV tax credits helped make EVs more affordable. Cars.com’s Detroit Director Aaron Bragman said the end of the month could slow demand soon.
“Shoppers are moving rapidly to lock in their savings, and Cars.com’s top EV picks show that there are strong options for all types of buyers, including the Hyundai Ioike 6 and Ioniq 5, the Kia EV9 and the Chevrolet equinox EV,” Bragman said in a statement. “And even after September 30th, the deal won’t go away. Many state and local incentives remain, with automakers like Nissan, Chevrolet and Hyundai already unveiling new, low-cost models.”
Karl Brauer, executive analyst at ISEeCars.com, said that once the federal tax credit is over, EV sales will “become a crater. It will be a pretty whipping effect. You are now rushing to the dealer to take advantage of these incentives…but what will happen in the next three months?”
Brower said EVS accounts for around 8% of the US new vehicle market share. He expects it will fall from 1% to 3% by the end of the year and will settle to 4% of its total market share by the beginning of next year.
“Consumers said, ‘I don’t get $7,500 from the car and it’s already more expensive than a gasoline car… and loses range in cold weather. Why are you buying this car?” “Brower said.
Director of Insights Ivan Drury at Edmunds.com said his data showed shoppers were at least beginning to study EVs at a higher speed than last year as the EV tax credit deadline approaches. He said that if a buyer decides to go on electric, there is still a wealth of stock for the buyer to choose from.
“Availability shouldn’t be too much of a problem. EVs account for 4.2% or about one per 25 of the dealer lot’s stock,” Drury said, citing data from September 21. “This is the same at 5.6%, but what’s unnecessary at the 30th is past the 30th and only stock.
Key to affordable adoption
Many automakers say the key to accelerating the mass adoption of EVs is to provide more EVs for cheaper price ranges, especially when automakers compete with China worldwide for EV market share. Chinese automakers are known for making high quality and affordable EVs.
According to Cox Automotive, the average trading price for the new EV in August was $57,245, down 0.1% year-on-year. The average trading price is what the car buyer pays after the incentive and trade-in amount have been deducted from the manufacturer’s recommended retail price. Cox Automotive said EVS holds an average price premium of $9,000 over the average trading price for gasoline-powered vehicles.
Ford Motor Co., which saw sales of EVs surge in August, announced that it would be rushed by country’s car buyers, mostly rushing to the expiration of the federal EV tax credit, and in August it announced the creation of a new electric vehicle production system and a new EV platform that will allow car manufacturers to bring some low-cost EVs more efficiently in the future. The first of these are the five-seat, medium-sized, four-door electric pickups to be released in 2027. The price of the vehicle is expected to be around $30,000.
Dealers expect sales to be slower
For Cox Automotive, spokesman Mark Schirmer said, “We still haven’t put any shareable measures in September, but our activities in August were strong, even past our previous monthly sales record of 7.5%.”
Schirmer said his previous EV sales record was in December 2024 when the industry sold around 135,000 new EVs. In August, the industry sold 146,000.
According to Cox Automotive’s Quarterly Sentiment Index, Schirmer said franchise car dealers believe the tax credits provided by the government “have positively impacted EV sales at dealers.”
But similar to Brauer’s forecast, dealers expect EV sales to cease after incentives are exhausted.
When asked about expectations for EV sales three months later, the majority of dealers expect sales to decline, Schirmer said. He said that 2023 in the third quarter was the last time franchise dealers expected a “increase in EV sales” over the next three months, but the 2025 score in the third quarter was the lowest we’ve seen so far.”
Last month, Cars.com said Chevrolet and Honda expanded their supply with five EV launches last year, as new EV stocks rose 1.4% compared to August 2024, and most other brands expanded. They did not provide numbers as to how many new EVs remain in stock.
Used EV sales are picked up
On the used side, inventory is moving faster than this year. In August, it only took 46 days, up from 66 days a year ago, Cars.com said. Tesla, which accounts for about a third of its used EV listings, saw its average price fall by 16.2% year-on-year, reducing the average used EVs by 3.8%. A Cars.com spokesman said the average trading price for spent Tesla in August was $28,862. The average trading price for a used car last month was $35,815, Cars.com data shows.
With 77 new EV models now available, Cars.com editors have identified the best EVs for 2026, considered value, use, performance and technology, and selected the following models for next range, affordable, family-friendly and innovation.
- Best value ev – The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV starts at $33,600. Cars.com has provided feedback on its rapid DC fast charging capabilities and multiple playback braking environments. On the downside, Cars.com said it could not stand the front trunk, rough payments and doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
- The best 2 row SUV – 2026 Hyundai Ioniq5. The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 starts at $42,600 and has an estimated range of 318 miles on a full charge.
- The best 3 row SUV – The 2026 KIA EV9 starts at $54,900.
- The best electric car – The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6 starts at $37,850. Cars.com shows good feedback about it as it has excellent ride and handling, quiet cabin, beautiful design and efficient. On the downside, the small trunk opening and the cramped rear seats.
- Luxury EV – The 2026 Lucid Air starts at $70,900. Its estimated range is 372-420 miles on charge.
- Pickup truck – Starting with the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV, $52,800 and an estimated range of 393 miles.
Jamie L. Larrow is a senior Autos writer covering Ford Motor Company for the Detroit Free Press. Please contact Jamie at jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jarouan. Sign up for our car newsletter. Become a subscriber.
