The overall EV market continues to grow, driven by pre-owned sales in 2026. As prices stabilize and inventory expands, this creates EV interest at new price points and parts of the country.
The new EV market is a more complicated picture.
All early data shows that new EV sales have slowed after a record-setting Q3 2025, as shoppers rushed to claim federal tax credits before they expired on September 30.
That makes sense. Purchases that may have occurred in fall 2025 or spring 2026 were pulled forward to get a $7500 tax credit, and that’s still working its way through the market.
Tariff uncertainty and shifting federal policy have also adjusted the calculus for automakers as they make projections and investments in future model years. The result is a new EV market that feels like it's in a holding pattern in 2026.
But there are undeniable bright spots.
Several highly anticipated models are arriving for the first time in 2026, including the more affordable Rivian R2, the competitively priced Volvo EX30 compact crossover, and BMW's next-generation electric lineup. These launches are injecting energy into a market that needs it.
Vehicle data from the research team at Recurrent shows that the 2026 model year continues to deliver significant improvements.
- Charging speeds are faster.
- Range is longer.
- Efficiency improvements (within each vehicle class) are showing up in models across every price point.
In this report, we review some of the proprietary data that has our researchers optimistic in 2026 and excited for 2027 and beyond.
Range Retention Winners
The average EV retains 97% of its range after 3 years and 95% after 5 years, according to our analysis of over 1 billion miles. That means a 2026 model with 325 miles of expected range today is still a 309-mile EV in 2031.
That's supported by historical data. For 68% of 2023 models, they still exceed their EPA range today.
Some carmakers are also designing consistency into the driver experience by releasing reserved battery capacity or tuning range algorithms through over-the-air software updates as vehicles age.
EV brands no apparent range loss over the first 5 years of ownership:
- Cadillac
- Ford
- Hyundai
- Mercedes
- Rivian
Note: Range retention is not the same as battery health or battery capacity. Batteries are aging in every EV.
Longest Range EV Winners
The average expected range across popular EVs has climbed to 325 miles, up from 293 miles in 2025.
- 2026: 325 miles
- 2025: 293 miles
- 2020: 261 miles
What's changed isn't just that batteries are getting bigger. Automakers are getting smarter about thermal management and aerodynamics, which means more miles driven out of each kilowatt-hour in a battery pack.
For example, look at the Nissan LEAF by model year:
- 2016-2017: 3.33 miles/kWh from a 30 kWh battery
- 2018: 3.33 miles/kWh from a 40 kWh battery
- 2019: 3.31 miles/kWh from a 40 kWh battery
- 2020-2022: 3.09 miles/kWh from a 62 kWh battery
- 2023-2025: 3.24 miles/kWh from a 60 kWh battery
- 2026: 3.03 miles/kWh from a 75 kWh battery
However, the biggest batteries still produce the longest ranges. Chevrolet’s Silverado EV delivers an expected range of 547 miles with its massive 205 kWh battery.
Recurrent’s range rankings are based on Expected Range, derived from real-world driving data that factors for things like weather, driving conditions, and battery age.
Fastest Charging EV Winners
Some of the most impressive gains in the 2026 lineup come from charging speeds.
The time it takes to charge is a key factor for overall EV satisfaction. The fastest charging vehicles can add 100 miles of range in under 10 minutes, a speed that brings charging closer to gas refueling times.
The key metric here isn't peak charging speed, which can be misleading. A car might advertise top speeds of 350 kW, but what matters is how long it sustains high speeds and how efficiently the car uses those kilowatts to translate into drivable miles.
Recurrent's fastest charging rankings use "time to add 100 miles," which captures the full picture: charge curve, efficiency, and real-world usability.
Hyundai outperforms in this category. Their 800-volt architecture delivers consistently fast charging across the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Kia EV6, and Genesis GV60. And their overall vehicle efficiency means that short charging sessions translate into a lot of miles added in a short period of time.
In the luxury lineup, Porsche's Taycan and Lucid models continue to move the industry toward faster charging times.
Most Efficient EV Winners
Despite steady improvements in EV technology, average EV efficiency has actually declined since its peak in 2018. The market is shifting toward larger SUVs, trucks and crossovers to align with shopper interests. That means the average EV now uses more energy per mile than the compact cars and sedans that dominated the early EV years.
However, within each vehicle class, we continue to see improvements in efficiency.
The 2026 model year average sits at 37.5 kWh per 100 miles. The most efficient models beat that by a wide margin, with the top performers achieving 23 kWh per 100 miles. That means the best-in-class can travel roughly 40% farther on the same energy as the average.
The aerodynamic sedan designs lead the efficiency charts, with compact crossovers not far behind. The common thread among the top performers is a focus on low drag, optimized powertrains, and smart energy management.
For shoppers, efficiency translates directly to lower energy costs and more range per charge. It's worth noting that EVs are most efficient in city driving (the opposite of gas cars), thanks to regenerative braking and lower wind resistance at slower speeds.
Best Winter Range Retention Winners
For a large share of the country, winter driving is a reality that affects EV performance. Recurrent's 2026 winter range study provides the clearest picture of what cold weather actually does to range.
Across 30+ popular models, EVs retain an average of 78% of their range at 32°F and 70% at 20°F. The top performer holds onto 88% of its range at freezing.
Heat pump technology continues to close the seasonal gap, extending range by roughly 10% at 32°F compared to resistive heaters. Tesla has invested heavily here, and that is evident in their lineup’s performance.
For the model-by-model breakdown, see the full winter range study.
Best Places to Buy an EV Winners
Buying an EV is still a different experience than buying a gas car. Knowledgeable salespeople and a wide variety of EV inventory can make the difference between a smooth purchase and a frustrating one.
Each year, Recurrent's research team evaluates over 5,000 dealerships across the country, combining inventory data, model variety, survey responses from our community of 30,000 EV owners, and other factors like on-site charging and staff training. For 2026, new- and used-car dealerships have been combined into a single list of the Best Places to Buy an EV.
A few patterns stand out this year.
National players like CarMax appear consistently across states, offering broad EV inventory. But many of the highest-rated dealerships are regional: dealer groups that have invested in EV expertise and built reputations in their local markets.
Reviews from EV owners frequently highlight the same things:
- Knowledgeable staff with first-hand experience owning an EV
- Encouraging customers to drive a variety of vehicles to find the right fit
- A willingness to spend time helping first-time EV buyers understand their vehicle
Cause for Optimism
The headlines about new EV sales in 2026 tell one story. The data from the vehicles themselves tells another.
- Real-world range is up 11% year over year.
- The fastest EVs charge 100 miles in under 10 minutes.
- Tech gains in EV efficiency are rewarding shoppers with the body types that they want.
These improvements don't show up in quarterly sales figures, but they show up every day for the people driving these cars.
For complete rankings and methodology on each category, follow the links throughout this report.
Previous Reports
Q4 2025
As of September 30, 2025, all federal tax credits for used, new, and leased electric vehicles ended. It was no surprise, then, that Q3 saw record sales for new and used PHEVs and BEVs. Total EV sales are at 10.36% through Q3 compared to 9.6% for 2024. The Q3 record beat the prior peak set in Q4 2024 by nearly 20%. September, the country’s strongest month of EV sales ever, saw 14% penetration in the new market.
Q2 2025
This report on new EV market trends builds on years of data-driven coverage of the used EV market. The first edition covers the 2025 model year.
Top Takeaways for the 2025 EV model year:
- The average EV range in 2025 has increased 4% over the last year, to 293 miles.
- Fast charging speeds have improved 7% over the 2024 model year.
- With larger and heavier EVs becoming more common, the average vehicle efficiency has dropped by 16% since 2018, meaning that much larger battery packs are being used to deliver marginal range increases.
