Toyota’s new electric SUVs are catching on, with nearly 5,000 sold in August — SkimNews
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- Toyota sold 4,964 EVs in August, up 35% from July, leading all automakers in US EV sales growth, according to Cox Automotive
- Toyota bZ (formerly bZ4X) was the fourth best-selling EV in the US in H1 2026, with over 22,500 units sold through August 2026 — already surpassing the 15,609 sold in all of 2025
- Tesla remained the overall EV leader with 40,816 units sold, but its market share fell to 51.7% after sales slipped 3.8% from July
- US new EV sales rose 2.5% from July to roughly 78,895 units, but remain down 46.9% from August 2025, when buyers rushed to claim the $7,500 federal EV tax credit before expiration
- Average new-EV transaction price fell to $54,754 in August, narrowing the price gap with gas vehicles to $4,847 (9.7%), aided by sales of lower-priced models like the Toyota bZ, Chevrolet Bolt, Toyota C-HR, and Tesla Model 3
- 2027 Toyota bZ XLE FWD starts at $34,980 with up to 236 miles of EPA-estimated range; the FWD Plus trim offers 314 miles for $37,980
- Ford Mustang Mach-E sales through August totaled just 15,484 units, down 55% from the same period in 2025
Why it matters: Toyota's refreshed bZ — priced from $34,980 with a NACS port and 314-mile range option — is one of the few non-Tesla EVs breaking into the US top sellers, directly chipping at Tesla's market share (now 51.7%). The growth is real but the headline obscures that the broader US EV market is still down 46.9% year-over-year after the federal tax credit expired.
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