Energy · October 19, 2026 · 2 min read

EIA: hybrids reach 16% of US light-duty sales in third quarter as BEV share falls to 6%

Published October 19, 2026 • Updated October 19, 2026

Reviewed by Editorial QC

The Energy Information Administration reported on October 19, 2026 that hybrids reached 16% of US light-duty vehicle sales in the third quarter of 2026 while battery electric vehicles fell to 6%, down from 10% a year earlier, after federal tax credits expired.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on October 19, 2026 that 23% of new light-duty vehicles sold in the United States in the third quarter of 2026 were hybrid electric, battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, down slightly from 24% in the third quarter of 2025. Hybrid electric vehicles continued to gain market share between the third quarters of 2025 and 2026, reaching 16% of light-duty vehicle sales. Growth in hybrid sales slowed this quarter as the average transaction price for a new vehicle passed $50,000 for the first time this year, according to Kelley Blue Book. Battery electric and plug-in hybrid shares decreased over the same period, according to estimates from Omdia. Battery electric vehicles were 6% of new light-duty vehicles sold in the third quarter of 2026, down from 10% a year earlier, while plug-in hybrids fell from 1.8% to 0.7%. Two tax credits for purchasing or leasing new electric vehicles, the New Clean Vehicle Credit and the Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit, expired on September 30, 2025. Battery electric vehicles made up a record 12% of light-duty sales in September 2025, immediately before the credits expired. Sales fell to 6% of new vehicle sales in the first nine months of 2026, down from 8% over the same period in 2025, and 2025 marked the first year annual battery-electric sales and market share declined. The EIA noted the vehicle types affect the broader energy sector differently: battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles consume electricity from the grid, affecting electricity demand, while hybrids consume liquid fuels and were not eligible for the expired federal tax credits.

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