Americans Buy Nearly 1.2 Million Electric Vehicles to Hit Record in 2023, According to Latest Kelley Blue Book Data

ATLANTA, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the shift toward an electrified future continues, a record-breaking nearly 1.2 million U.S. vehicle buyers chose to go electric last year, according to the latest data from Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive company. Electric vehicles (EVs) represent the fastest-growing car sales category, holding a 7.6% share of the total U.S. vehicle market in 2023, up from 5.9% in 2022.

Specifically, in Q4 2023, EV sales hit a record for both volume and market share, with sales reaching 52% higher than in the fourth quarter of 2022. Americans bought 317,168 EVs between October and the end of December 2023, representing 8.1% of all new cars sold. The average price paid for a new EV in December 2023 was $50,789.

"Americans bought a record-shattering 1,189,051 electric vehicles (EVs) last year, and we expect that growth to continue into the future," said Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of Industry Insights at Cox Automotive. "The momentum is strong for more when it comes to EVs – more new product, more incentives, more inventory, more leasing and more infrastructure – and that momentum is not going away. Transaction price parity between internal combustion vehicles and EVs looks more realistic in the coming years too, presenting good news for buyers who currently see EV pricing as out of reach. Our team forecasts that EV share of the total U.S. market will reach 10% in 2024."

Tesla continues to dominate the EV market; 55% of the electric vehicles Americans purchased in 2023 were Tesla products. While that figure is down from 65% in 2022, Tesla's aggressive campaign of price cuts helped it retain its top position in 2023. The price cuts brought Tesla's two most affordable cars – the Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan – into closer reach for more Americans. In fact, one out of every three EVs sold in 2023 was a Tesla Model Y.

Beyond Tesla, other auto manufacturers, including the German luxury brands, continue to stake a foothold in the EV game. Last year, 12.5% of all new BMW sales were EVs. Mercedes-Benz and Audi also increased their EV sales in 2023, accounting for 11.4% and 11.0% of total brand sales, respectively. Among non-luxury brands, Volkswagen leads in share with EVs, accounting for 11.5% of its 2023 sales.

More new competitors enter the EV market by the month, with Kelley Blue Book estimating that consumers will have more than 70 EV options from which to choose within the next two years.

The 10 Best-Selling Electric Vehicles of 2023 in the United States

For more information and data from Kelley Blue Book regarding record EV sales in 2023, visit https://www.coxautoinc.com/market-insights/q4-2023-ev-sales/.

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About Kelley Blue Book 
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource^®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry for nearly a century. As the industry standard for generations, Kelley Blue Book provides transparent, objective information and data-driven, innovative tools for consumers, automotive dealers and manufacturers. The company publishes millions of market-reflective values weekly on its top-rated website KBB.com, from its famous Blue Book^® Trade-In Values to the Kelley Blue Book^® Price Advisor tool, which offers a range for what consumers reasonably can expect to pay for a vehicle in their area. KBB.com editors rate and review hundreds of new vehicles each year to help consumers understand the Best Cars and Best SUVs to meet their needs. Kelley Blue Book^SM Instant Cash Offer provides a redeemable trade-in offer to transaction-ready consumers and conveniently connects them to local participating dealers. Kelley Blue Book's Service Advisor provides guidance on how much to pay for service and repairs, allowing consumers to schedule service with local dealers on KBB.com. The company also provides vehicle values to finance and insurance companies as well as governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book is a Cox Automotive brand.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive is the world's largest automotive services and technology provider. Fueled by the largest breadth of first-party data fed by 2.3 billion online interactions a year, Cox Automotive tailors leading solutions for car shoppers, automakers, dealers, retailers, lenders and fleet owners. The company has 26,000+ employees on five continents and a family of trusted brands that includes Autotrader^®, Dealertrack^®, Kelley Blue Book^®, Manheim^®, NextGear Capital™ and vAuto^®. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with $22 billion in annual revenue. Visit coxautoinc.com or connect via @CoxAutomotive on X, CoxAutoInc on Facebook or Cox-Automotive-Inc on LinkedIn.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book