Last year’s new car sales in the United States are nearing pre-pandemic times, with +13% more vehicles sold in 2023, or 15,5 million units in total, compared to peaks of 17 million cars in 2015-2019. Despite the biggest six-weeks-long automotive strike America has ever seen, supply has normalized, and prices dropped by 2 to 3% on average, especially for EVs, which represented 6,9%.

Of the so-called American ‘Big Three’, General Motors remains America’s biggest by a mile, with 2,3 million cars sold in the US and a market share of 16,3%. In second position, Ford had its best year since 2020, seeing a growth of +7,1%, selling 1,99 million vehicles. Stellantis (with Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, RAM, and the European brands) sold 1,53 million cars, which is 1% less than the year before.

Tesla number one EV seller

Tesla, as usual, won’t communicate sales figures per country but sold 1,81 million vehicles worldwide, an increase of 23% compared to 2022. It remains undoubtedly the world’s leader in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales, although Chinese BYD is close on its heels, selling 3 million so-called NEVs (New Energy Vehicles), including hybrids.

Pure BEVs accounted for 1,6 million, but in Q4, BYD overtook Tesla (484 500) by selling 526 000 battery-only vehicles. Chinese-made cars are very controversial in the US and are subject to stiff 27,5% import tariffs while not eligible for government incentives.

That’s why BYD doesn’t sell passenger cars there (yet). It offers a wide range of battery-electric bus and coach models in the United States, which are manufactured in Lancaster, California.

EVs gaining momentum?

Electric is slowly gaining momentum in the US as 8% growth is foreseen for 2024, despite worldwide hesitating demand and 2023 EV sales staying below expectations. That made some manufacturers like GM slow down conversion plans.

GM’s best-selling product was the entry-level SUV, driving sales up to more than a million SUVs overall for the first time. Federal incentives and dropping prices instigated by the Tesla-led price war in China propelled EV sales by 6,9% in 2023.

Nevertheless, GM saw a 93% increase in electric sales, a total of  75 883 vehicles. With the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning, Ford saw BEV sales grow by 17,9% to 72 608 units and its hybrids by +25,3%.

Ford rules in pickup trucks and vans

Ford remains America’s No. 1 pickup truck seller, with the F-Series leading in gasoline, hybrid, and electric. And Ford also remains number one in commercial vehicles, with the Ford E-Transit being America’s best-selling electric van in 2023 with 7 672 units (+18%).

Toyota, known for its reluctance to go fully electric, sold 2 248 477 vehicles in North America, of which 320 249 were under the Lexus brand. TMNA’s  ‘electrified vehicle sales’ of 657 327 (mostly Corolla and Camry HEVs) represent 29,2 percent of total sales volume.

Remarkable: of the fuel cell Mirai on hydrogen, Toyota still managed to sell 2 737 units, despite the high purchase price and soaring hydrogen prices. That’s more than it sold Supras (2 652).