Most Popular Used EVs in America

The electric vehicle segment continues to expand, according to iSeeCars, with dozens of new models introduced over the past five years. This influx has contributed to a more diverse used EV market as vehicles come off lease or are sold by their original owners. iSeeCars reports, “While all four Tesla models are among the top six rankings, the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4 are gaining ground. The Chevrolet Bolt, one of the best-selling EVs in the late 2010s, slid four places over the past year.”

However, every company in the EV sector faces the same challenge: they are fighting for a smaller market, and that will continue into next year. Ford was so discouraged that it has dropped out of the market completely. Rivian and Lucid may not last the year. Tesla’s sales are falling. At the same time, Kia and Hyundai continue to press into the market. German automakers continue to believe that their current investment will pay off in the future. For now, investors’ appetite for risk in the EV sector remains subdued.

The most discouraging forecast for 2026 EVs came from Bloomberg, which published an analysis titled “Automakers Face an ‘EV Winter’ in 2026 as Sales Growth Slows.” The US is not alone in terms of slowing or falling sales. China and the EU also have problems. One point stands out powerfully: “In the US in particular, electric vehicle makers are facing an ‘EV winter,’ and will need to navigate bumpy months ahead before a likely revival in sales in 2027 and 2028, said Nathan Niese, Boston Consulting Group’s global lead for EVs and energy storage.”

Americans continue to worry about EV prices, which has driven automakers toward producing EVs priced below $25,000. So far, success has been non-existent.

Among the challenges US EV makers face is a large supply of used EVs. Among the reasons is that people who leased their cars for three years are turning them in to dealers. Another factor is a segment of the market that has been unhappy with the EVs they bought new. A recent USAToday article pointed out the advantages of buying lightly used EVs because of discounts.

Used EVs share one characteristic with new ones: the most popular used EVs are the most popular new models. Tesla Model 3 sales make up 20% of the used EV market. Used Model Ys account for about the same percent of the total. US News shows they aretop selling new models as well.

Most Popular Used EVs in the U.S., 2025 – iSeeCars Study

2025 Rank	Model	2025 % Share of 1- to 5-Year-Old Used EVs	2024 Rank
1	Tesla Model 3	19.5%	1
2	Tesla Model Y	19.3%	2
3	Ford Mustang Mach-E	5.0%	4
4	Volkswagen ID.4	3.9%	9
5	Tesla Model S	3.0%	8
6	Tesla Model X	3.0%	7
7	Chevrolet Bolt EV	2.8%	3
8	Hyundai Ioniq 5	2.4%	17
9	Chevrolet Bolt EUV	2.2%	5
10	Mercedes-Benz EQS	2.2%	12

“Most electric models are moving up in rankings, though the Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV both dropped four rankings in 2025,” said Karl Brauer of iSeeCars. “GM cancelled the Bolt in 2023, despite its market success, but restarted production this year in an effort to regain lost share in the EV segment.”

He adds, “The rising cost of new vehicles will keep demand for used cars high in 2026, though prices will likely moderate, and lower fuel costs should keep truck and SUV transactions on the leading edge of used car activity. We also expect a steady stream of electric vehicles coming off lease and entering the used car market, giving used car shoppers a broader range of options in both vehicle type and powertrain design.”

iSeeCars analyzed over 9 million used car sales from the last five model years (2020-2024) in 2025. Each model’s share of used car sales was calculated nationally, as well as within each metro area and state. Heavy-duty vehicles were excluded from the analysis.