Electricity consumption from light-duty electric vehicles in the United States increased 8% during the first half of 2026 compared with the final six months of 2025, according to estimates in the Monthly Energy Review. This growth rate represents a notable deceleration from the 13-24% increases observed in comparable six-month periods in recent years.
The slowdown in electricity consumption growth coincided with declining electric vehicle sales following the expiration of federal tax credit programs. The New Clean Vehicle Credit and Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit, which had reduced purchase and lease costs for new electric vehicles, ended on September 30, 2025. New electric vehicle sales decreased 19% in the first half of 2026 relative to the latter portion of 2025. Despite this decline, cumulative electricity use from light-duty electric vehicles has more than doubled since the first half of 2023, reaching nearly 14 billion kilowatthours in the first half of 2026.
The analysis encompasses battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles capable of drawing power from the grid. Other vehicle categories, including internal combustion engines, conventional hybrids, and fuel cell electric vehicles, are excluded from these consumption estimates. As of 2024, the most recent year with complete data, electric vehicles represented 2% of all registered light-duty vehicles on U.S. roads.
Electricity consumption estimates apply to on-road light-duty vehicles weighing 8,500 pounds or less. Rather than relying on traditional survey methods, the data derive from a recently finalized model incorporating external information sources. These estimates will continue appearing in the Monthly Energy Review and State Energy Data System going forward.
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