More than half of all the electric vehicles (EVs) bought in 2023 were SUVs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Argonne National Laboratory reports that Americans bought about 1.1 million EVs last year. More than half — 52.6% — were SUVs.
The numbers are even more lopsided for plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Last year, 82.9% of all PHEVs sold were SUVs, as seen in the charts below from Argonne.
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The news is hardly surprising — compact SUVs are now the best-selling vehicle category in America, followed by midsize SUVs. Automakers are simply going electric first in the categories Americans buy most.
Compact SUV sales have grown rapidly this year. The Ram 1500 pickup, traditionally America’s third-best-selling model, is on pace to finish sixth in the sales race behind three small SUVs in 2024.
The only major difference between EV sales and vehicle sales as a whole is the small size of the electric truck category. Automakers have had a harder time converting truck buyers to electricity than any other segment of the buying public. That makes sense, as pickups are common in the middle of the country where charging infrastructure is most sparse. Pickup buyers are also typically more concerned with towing than buyers of other segments.
All trucks — gas or electric — lose significant range when towing. But range loss is more of a concern with an electric truck, as it takes longer to refill a battery than a gas tank.
