When Will EV Sales Pick Up In The US?
May 26, 20263 hours
Tina Casey
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The Iran war has stimulated research-level interest in electric cars here in the US, but all that online noodling has yet to translate into a significant EV sales bump — yet. Some signs of life have been bubbling up, with Subaru providing one of the few reasons to celebrate.
Subaru Counts On Solterra For EV Sales Bump, Not Slump
The long-awaited Subaru Solterra crossed the CleanTechnica radar three years ago, when reporter Jennifer Sensiba took note of its potential to outperform Toyota’s bZ4X:
“The 2023 Solterra comes with a 72.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, which gives the driver up to 360 km of range. The car has dual 80 kW electric motors located at both the front and rear axles for stability and power. In addition, it comes with a CCS1 Combo charger that supports Level One and Level Two AC charging, as well as 100kW DC fast charging — the latter being able to charge the car up to 80% in fifty minutes.”
Last year, Subaru announced updated styling for the 2026 edition alongside a new hookup with Tesla’s Supercharger network, providing more details under the all-caps headline, “SUBARU STANDS FIRM ON ALL-NEW 2026 SUBARU SOLTERRA PRICING, STARTING AT $38,495 MSRP, AND INTRODUCES MORE POWERFUL SOLTERRA XT MODEL:”
— Range increased by more than 25% compared to previous Solterra EV models
— All-new Solterra XT produces 338 horsepower from uprated powertrain
— Charging time from 10-80% in approximately 30 minutes with improved battery preconditioning system and charging speeds up to 150 kW
— Standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, best-in-class 8.3 inches of ground clearance
— Available range up to 288 miles on a single charge
–Available at retailers nationwide later this fall, starting at $38,495 MSRP, same as outgoing model; Solterra Limited price reduced $600 from outgoing model.
So, Did It Work?
When you start from scratch, any bump in EV sales is going to look good on paper. Subaru has a long way to go before it can crack into Tesla territory. Still, why rain on the parade? On May 1, Subaru reported that April was its best month ever for EV sales.
Notably, while a downward drift in some of Subaru’s gasmobile sales pulled the overall monthly total down by 5.9% year-on-year, Solterra racked up an 18.9% upswing, recording 1,128 sales in April 2026 compared to just 949 in April 2025.
The newly delivered Trailseeker and Uncharted EVs also contributed a respectable turnout in April, at 409 and 519 vehicles, respectively.
As for what contributed to the upswing in Solterra interest, the impact of the Iran war on gas prices may have factored in, along with improvements in engineering and charging station access.
Subaru also aims to leverage brand reputation to attract both new and existing EV drivers. “Customers can also count on Subaru’s commitment to being More Than a Car Company®, reflected in our recognition for the fourth consecutive year on Forbes’ Best Brands for Social Impact list, honoring our long-standing focus on community,” Subaru of America President and CEO Jeff Walters explained in a press statement.
Keep an eye on Toyota, Lexus, Rivian, Cadillac, and Lucid in the coming quarter. All five brands reported an upswing in EV sales for Q1 2026 compared to the same quarter last year, with Ram also reporting EV sales for the first time in Q1 2026.
Next Steps For EV Sales In The US
As for April light-duty car sales in general, any bump is a good bump considering that total sales are down year-on-year. The flatlining of the EV sales tax credit had an impact, but that was not the only element in play. When US President Donald Trump decided to launch a war against Iran on April 28, he sent global fuel markets into chaos with an inflationary ripple effect surging through the domestic economy. It’s no surprise to see people holding off on major purchases, if they can.
“After slower U.S. light-vehicle sales in January and February, there was a jump in March, and some industry observers thought it would carry into April. It didn’t,” Cox Automotive observed on May 6.
“An auto sales phenomenon known as the ‘spring bounce,’ when some Americans decide to use tax refund checks as down payments on new vehicles, or just generally get an itch for a new car or truck with the improved weather, appeared to have fallen flat in April,” the firm elaborated.
So much for new cars. Used cars are another matter. Earlier this year a fresh surge of off-lease EVs swept into the market, providing a new alternative for bargain hunters.
“Used EV sales reached 42,080 units in April, up 16.7% year over year and 3% month over month, pushing used EV market share to a record 2.8%,” Cox reported, with Tesla in the lead and Hyundai, Chevrolet, Ford and BMW recording strong numbers.
The Gas Effect
Now that EV charging stations are a permanent fixture at fast-food restaurants all over the country, the potential for attracting EV-curious car buyers has improved. After all, familiarity breeds, well, familiarity.
As a counter-trend, a fresh crop of hybrids has muted the interest in 100% EVs. Industry analyst John Goreham also notes that the price of gas today, when adjusted for inflation, is not out of whack compared to just a few years ago, during the post-COVID recovery period.
Still, the non-profit EV advocacy organization Veloz is taking full advantage of the situation. Veloz launched in 2018 on the heels of a settlement between the US Environmental Protection Agency and Volkswagen over the automaker’s 2016 “dieselgate” scandal. The organization’s Electric Four All consumer education branch has been busy since then, and the Iran war has provided it with a fresh opportunity to reach gasmobile drivers where they go — to the gas station, that is.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, Veloz launched new billboards near gas stations in 16 major US cities. The billboards resemble standard gas station price signs, except they all read $0.00. While EV drivers generally do pay for electricity, the organization’s PR firm explains that the campaign is meant to help drivers visualize not paying for gas. EV drivers also don’t have to hunt around for a gas station. They can just fill up at Bojangles or wherever.
The Memorial Day billboard campaign coincided with the highest national average gas price in recent years, pegged at $4.56 by AAA. That’s $1.38 higher than the same time last year, though AAA affirms that gas prices were slightly higher in post-COVID years.
“Current prices are close to what drivers were paying 4 years ago, when the national average on Memorial Day was $4.61,” AAA notes.
“With gasoline demand on the rise and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, pump prices are likely to remain elevated as the summer travel season gets underway,” they add.
Whether or not that translates into more EV sales remains to be seen. On its part, Veloz is aiming to attract a fresh wave of gasmobile drivers into the vehicle electrification movement.
“Electric vehicles are no longer confined to early adopters or coastal markets; they’re showing up in everyday life across the country,” Veloz explains, drawing attention to its new Real Stories hub where EV-curious drivers can hear from other newbies.
Photo: To help support EV sales in the US, the advocacy organization Electric Four All bought billboard space near gas stations in 15 major cities over the Memorial Day weekend (cropped, courtesy of Veloz/Electric Four All via email).
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