For the US EV market, the training wheels are off. Tesla will survive. Who else will?

"A record 437,487 EVs were sold in the US in the third quarter, according to estimates from Cox's Kelley Blue Book. That marks a 30% year-over-year surge this quarter, underscoring the growing mainstream appeal of EVs. Yet beneath the headline growth lies a harsh economic truth: without massive scale, most automakers are still losing money on their electric ambitions in the US."

"Tesla remains the exception. Even as its market share slipped to 41% from 49% the previous year, it continues to dominate the US EV landscape. The Model Y and Model 3 alone accounted for more than 168,000 units sold in the third quarter, dwarfing competitors. By contrast, only nine out of roughly 90 EV models sold more than 10,000 units in the US in the quarter."

US electric vehicle sales totaled a record 437,487 units in Q3 2025, a 30% year-over-year increase. Federal EV purchase incentives are expiring, forcing the market to rely on inherent competitiveness. Profitability in EV manufacturing depends on massive production scale and sales volume. Tesla has achieved scale and sustained profitability, holding a 41% market share in Q3 despite slipping from 49% a year earlier; the Model Y and Model 3 combined sold over 168,000 units. Only nine of roughly 90 EV models exceeded 10,000 U.S. sales in the quarter; most models sell fewer than 6,000 units, preventing economies of scale and profitability.

Read at Business Insider