Electric vehicle sales in the United States were up more than 10 per cent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2025, with General Motors driving much of that growth as Tesla declined, according to Cox Automotive.
Its Data Point update, which pulled information from Kelley Blue Book’s latest report, reveals nearly 300,000 new EVs were sold in Q1 in the U.S. — up 11.4 per cent YoY. The company said EV sales continue to grow at a healthy pace, with roughly 7.5 per cent of total Q1 new-vehicle sales being EVs. That’s an increase of 7 per cent from a year earlier.
“The latest numbers show that growth in the EV market is anything but uniform,” said Cox Automotive in its update. “New models from Acura, Audi, Chevrolet, Honda and Porsche, to name a few, are helping drive higher sales. At the same time, established products declined noticeably, as automakers shift market strategy. Goodbye, Chevy Bolt. Hello, Chevy Equinox EV.”
GM sold more than 30,000 EVs in Q1, nearly doubling the volume from a year ago. It also surpassed Ford Motor Company and Hyundai Group. Honda and Acura added more than 14,000 EVs to the U.S. market during this period — up from zero a year ago, thanks to a short-lived partnership with GM. And Stellantis released new products from Dodge, Jeep and Fiat in Q1.
However, the rest of 2025 is anticipated to be volatile for EV sales in the U.S., despite new products and healthy incentives.
“If the new auto tariffs hold, they will pose a monumental challenge for many automakers, particularly due to the tariffs on steel and, importantly for EVs, aluminum,” said Cox Automotive. “Roughly two-thirds of the EVs sold in the U.S. last year were assembled in the U.S., but like all modern automobiles, the required parts and components are sourced from around the globe.”
As Cox Automotive Analyst Stephanie Valdez Streaty said, “The year certainly started strong, but the road ahead will be anything but smooth.”
