2026 EV Market & Trends Report

Technical Input By
Written by
Andrew Garberson

Research

April 23, 2026

Key insights from the 2026 New EV Market Trends Report include:

1. New EV sales slowed after a record Q3 2025 as buyers rushed to claim federal tax credits before they expired. Exciting new models from Rivian, Volvo, BMW among others are bringing fresh energy to the market.
2. The average EV retains 97% of its range after 3 years and 95% after 5 years, showing that today’s new EV holds its range better than expected.
3. The average real-world range has climbed to 325 miles among 2026 models, and the fastest charging EVs can now add 100 miles in under 10 minutes.
4. Overall EV efficiency has declined since 2018 as the market shifts toward larger vehicles that consumers expect. The most efficient models still outperform the average by roughly 40%.
5. The EV buying experience is maturing with dozens of dealerships setting themselves apart with EV insights and education.

The overall EV market continues to grow, driven by pre-owned sales in 2026. With prices stabilizing and inventory expanding, interest in EVs is increasing at new price points and regions.

Range Retention Winners

The average EV retains 97% of its range after 3 years and 95% after 5 years, analyzing over 1 billion miles.

EV brands with no apparent range loss:

1. Cadillac
2. Ford
3. Hyundai
4. Mercedes
5. Rivian

Longest Range EV Winners

The average expected range across popular EVs has climbed to 325 miles, up from 293 miles in 2025.

• 2026: 325 miles
• 2025: 293 miles
• 2020: 261 miles

Expected range improvement per model year:

• Nissan LEAF by model year:
  • 2016-2017: 3.33 miles/kWh (30 kWh)
  • 2018: 3.33 miles/kWh (40 kWh)
  • 2019: 3.31 miles/kWh (40 kWh)
  • 2020-2022: 3.09 miles/kWh (62 kWh)
  • 2023-2025: 3.24 miles/kWh (60 kWh)
  • 2026: 3.03 miles/kWh (75 kWh)

Example:

Chevrolet’s Silverado EV delivers an expected range of 547 miles with its 205 kWh battery.

Fastest Charging EV Winners

The fastest charging vehicles can add 100 miles of range in under 10 minutes.

Key players in fast charging:

• Hyundai’s 800-volt architecture (Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Kia EV6, Genesis GV60)
• Porsche's Taycan and Lucid models improving industry standards

Most Efficient EV Winners

The average EV efficiency has declined since its peak in 2018, averaging at 37.5 kWh per 100 miles.

Efficiency per vehicle class:

• The top performers achieve 23 kWh per 100 miles.

Benefit:

• EVs are most efficient in city driving due to regenerative braking and lower wind resistance.

Best Winter Range Retention Winners

Across cold conditions, EVs retain an average of 78% of their range at 32°F and 70% at 20°F.

Top performer:

• Retains 88% of range in freezing conditions.

Best Places to Buy an EV Winners

Each year, Recurrent's research evaluates over 5,000 dealerships, combining inventory data, model variety, and EV owner surveys.

Patterns:

• Knowledgeable staff with first-hand experience
• Variety of vehicles to help customers find the right fit

Cause for Optimism

• Real-world range is up 11% year over year.
• Fastest EVs charge 100 miles in under 10 minutes.
• Tech gains in EV efficiency rewarding shoppers.

For complete rankings and methodology on each category, follow the links throughout this report.