Toyota and Subaru Are Among the Few Automakers Still Growing U.S. EV Sales

While nearly every automaker has sold fewer EVs so far this year than in the same period in 2025, after buyers rushed to claim a $7,500 tax credit before it expired, a handful of brands are seeing higher demand, Electrek reported.

Outside of Rivian, Toyota and Subaru are the only brands that have higher year-over-year EV sales in the United States through the third quarter. Combined, they have sold nearly 50,000 EVs through the first nine months of 2026, more than double the same period last year. Toyota alone has sold nearly 35,000 electric vehicles, up 183.4 percent, while Subaru sold 14,630, up 46.7 percent. That does not include an additional 12,676 sold under the Lexus brand, up 137.4 percent, Electrek reported.

After launching the heavily updated bZ in late 2025, previously called the bZ4X, Toyota's electric SUV became one of America's most popular EVs. Through the third quarter, it was the fourth-best-selling EV in the U.S., trailing only the Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Tesla Model 3 and the Tesla Model Y. Starting at $35,000, the Toyota bZ is one of the most affordable EVs in the country. It also offers up to 314 miles of range in the FWD Plus trim, which starts at $37,980.

A shared platform, and prices under the U.S. average

Toyota and Subaru now each sell three electric SUVs, which share the same platform and technology. With prices ranging from roughly $35,000 to about $45,000, Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of industry insights at Cox Automotive, said, via Bloomberg as cited by Electrek, that the new EVs are affordable and hit the "sweet spot" of the U.S. car market.

Toyota also sells the smaller, sporty C-HR, starting at $37,080, and the larger, more rugged bZ Woodland, which starts at $45,380. Subaru sells the updated Solterra at $38,495, the smaller Uncharted at $34,995 and the midsize Trailseeker at $39,995. Karla Fisher, a Marine and retired engineer, told Bloomberg that the Trailseeker was her "most favorite car of all time." She had considered buying an EV before the federal credit expired last September, but wanted at least 7 inches of ground clearance, 250 miles or more of range, and a price similar to a comparable gas vehicle. The Trailseeker, Electrek reported, offers that and starts under $40,000.

Toyota and Subaru's electric SUVs all start at about $45,000 or less, which is below the average new vehicle. According to the latest Kelley Blue Book figures cited by Electrek, the average price for a new vehicle in the U.S. reached a record $51,109 in October, up 2.1 percent from a year earlier. Subaru spokesperson Dominick Infante said the affordable EV prices are mainly thanks to its partnership with Toyota. "We do believe there's an EV future," he added, as reported by Electrek.