It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times For Electric

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What's Happening

Photo courtesy of Majella Waterworth. It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times For Electric Car Sales In America July 12, 2026 1 minute Steve Hanley 0 Comments Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe . Everyone expected the bottom to fall out of the new electric car market after the $7,500 federal incentive ended September 30, 2025, but these things have a way of evening out over time. There was a surge in EV sales before the federal incentive ended and a dramatic dropoff afterwards.

Why This Matters for EV Owners

• That’s what’s happened before — in China, in Germany, in the Netherlands, etc
• — when countries have eliminated electric car incentives
• Governments wouldn’t create incentives if they had no effect on consumers
• But a strange thing is happening

The Bigger Picture

EV sales in America are beginning to bounce back — not to the level they were when the federal incentive was available, but better than they were in the months just after the incentive expired. According to Kelley Blue Book estimates , 247,226 EVs were sold in the US in the second quarter of 2026 — up 14. 5 percent from their peak in Q3 in 2025, but that is a lot better than the 35 percent drop in Q4. If you are “the glass is half full” type of person, that is reason enough to be (somewhat) optimistic about the future of EVs in America. BloombergNEF tells a slightly different story.

EV Comparison: How Do These Models Stack Up?

Among these models, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range leads in efficiency at 14.4 kWh/100km, while the Tesla Model 3 Long Range offers the longest range at 602 km WLTP.

Model	Battery	WLTP Range	Efficiency
Tesla Model 3 Long Range	75 kWh	602 km	14.4 kWh/100km
Tesla Model Y Long Range	75 kWh	533 km	16.9 kWh/100km
Hyundai IONIQ 5 Long Range	77 kWh	507 km	16.8 kWh/100km

Data sourced from EVRoutes' vehicle database covering 60+ EV models. Ranges are WLTP-rated and real-world results may vary by 10-20% based on driving conditions.

Charging Infrastructure: Berlin, Germany

Berlin sits within Germany's rapidly expanding Deutschlandnetz fast-charging network. Ionity and Tesla Supercharger coverage is strong along the Autobahn with prices from €0.35-0.79/kWh.

EVRoutes indexes over 500,000+ charging stations across 30 European countries, aggregated from providers including Tesla Supercharger, Ionity, Fastned, Allego, and more.

Real-World Range Considerations

EVRoutes' route calculations account for real-world conditions. In winter, expect 15-30% range reduction due to battery chemistry and cabin heating. Pro tip: Pre-conditioning the battery before DC fast charging can improve charging speeds by up to 30% in cold weather.

What to Watch Next

A few years ago, it projected EV sales in the US would reach nearly 50 percent by 2030. In its latest report, it has revised that number sharply downward to 17 percent. Currently, EV sales in the US are at just 5. 8 percent, according to Cox Automotive.