The U.S. electric vehicle market just wrapped up an interesting year. Many automakers posted record third-quarter EV deliveries, including Tesla Inc. (TSLA), and the full-year numbers are now rolling in. The picture they paint is more complex than you might expect.
Tesla doesn't break out sales by individual model or geographic region, which makes direct comparisons tricky. The company may well have had the bestselling electric vehicle worldwide for 2025, but when it comes to the brands that actually report their U.S. numbers, we're seeing some surprising winners.
Who Actually Sold What in 2025
Let's set some context first. The U.S. saw over 1.3 million electric vehicles sold in 2024, marking a new record with 7.3% year-over-year growth. The 2025 final tallies will likely show a decline from that peak, which makes the individual brand performances even more telling.
Based on official sales figures compiled by Electrek, here's who came out on top among the automakers that actually share their data:
- Chevrolet Equinox EV: 57,195 units, +100.7%
- Mustang Mach-E: 51,620 units, -0.2%
- Hyundai IONIQ 5: 47,039 units, +6.0%
- Honda Prologue: 39,194 units, +18.7%
- Ford F-150 Lightning: 27,307 units, -18.5%
- Chevy Blazer EV: 22,637 units, -2.1%
- Volkswagen ID.4: 22,373 units, +31.4%
- Cadillac Lyriq: 20,971 units, -26.2%
- BMW i4: 20,114 units, -14.1%
- Audi Q6 e-tron: 17,207 units, +1,681.0%
Notable absences from this ranking include Tesla, Rivian Automotive (RIVN), and Lucid Group Inc. (LCID), all of which don't break out sales by individual model or U.S. region specifically.
The Detroit Duo's Mixed Results
General Motors Co. (GM) shows up three times in the top ten, claiming first, sixth, and eighth place with vehicles from different brands it owns. The Equinox EV dominated with impressive growth, while the Blazer EV and Cadillac Lyriq both saw sales decline year-over-year.
Ford Motor Co. (F) landed at second and fifth with the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning, though both models saw sales either flat or declining in 2025.
Volkswagen (VWAGY) placed two models on the list with the ID.4 and Audi Q6 e-tron. Meanwhile, Honda Motor Group (HMC), Hyundai, and BMW each secured one spot in the top ten.
To put this in perspective, Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 were the bestselling U.S. EV models in 2024, with reported sales of 372,613 units and 189,903 units respectively. The Mustang Mach-E ranked third in 2024 with 51,745 units, while Hyundai's Ioniq 5 came in fourth with 44,400 units. The Equinox ranked eighth last year, the Lyriq ninth, and the Blazer didn't even crack the list.
Future reports that include Tesla estimates will be fascinating to see how everyone else stacks up.
The Plot Twist Nobody Expected
Here's where things get really interesting. Despite Ford and General Motors dominating the list of non-Tesla EV models and posting those record third-quarter deliveries, demand likely softened significantly in the final months of 2025.
The 2026 rankings could look radically different because both companies are actively scaling back their electric vehicle efforts following the expiration of the federal EV tax credit in September 2025.
General Motors previously announced it was ending production of its BrightDrop fleet EV van and took a $1.6 billion charge related to EVs in the third quarter. The company explicitly cited a "significant pullback" in EV demand for the U.S. market.
Ford went even further, announcing plans to scale back on EVs and refocus on traditional internal combustion engines and hybrid vehicles. The company said it was discontinuing production of the F-150 Lightning EV entirely, outlining a staggering $19.5 billion charge related to its electric vehicle strategy changes.
So we're left with this paradox: the traditional automakers who just topped the sales charts are the same ones beating a hasty retreat from the battlefield. Ford and General Motors might launch new electric vehicles down the road, but the 2026 list could see a very different competitive dynamic. The EV pure-play companies like Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid, along with foreign automakers who remain committed to electrification, may find themselves with far less competition from Detroit than anyone anticipated just a year ago.
