U.S. electricity use for electric vehicles increasing at a slower pace in 2026

Electric vehicles are still using more electricity in the U.S., but growth has slowed. In the first half of 2026, EV charging added up to nearly 14 billion kilowatthours, about 8% more than the last half of 2025. That's a much smaller jump than the 13-24% growth seen in earlier six-month periods. The slowdown follows the September 2025 expiration of two federal tax credits, the New Clean Vehicle Credit and the Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit, which had lowered the cost of buying or leasing a new EV.

New EV sales fell 19% in the first half of 2026 compared with the second half of 2025, right after those credits ended. Even so, EVs remain a small slice of the vehicles on U.S. roads — about 2% of all registered light-duty vehicles as of 2024, the most recent year with data. The figures cover both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, since both draw power from the grid; regular hybrids, gas-only cars, and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles aren't counted because they don't plug in.

For homeowners, this is mostly background context rather than a direct call to action. It doesn't change any rebate or incentive program tied to home upgrades like insulation, heat pumps, or electrical panel work. But if you've been weighing whether to buy an EV and add home charging, it's worth knowing that the federal purchase tax credits that used to offset the cost are no longer available, which may affect your overall budget for the project.