What Were the 10 Bestselling Electric Vehicles of 2023?
The year 2023 was a big one for the electric-vehicle market. As more legacy automakers make the gradual pivot to full battery-electric cars, pickup trucks and SUVs, more customers are picking the plug over the pump than ever before. With the dust finally settled on the year’s cumulative sales, we’re able to see which electric efforts are paying off the most with a breakdown of the top 10 bestselling EVs of 2023 as reported by automakers and Automotive News.
Related: What to Know Before Purchasing an Electric Vehicle: A Buying Guide
1. Tesla Model Y
Unsurprisingly, 2023’s fifth bestselling nameplate overall also sits in the top slot of the EV charts, as Tesla’s perennially popular Model Y is the undisputed battery-electric sales king with some 385,900 units moved. It’s an impressive figure made more so when you look at 2022’s 226,700 approximate sales — a 70% increase year-over-year.
A large part of the Model Y’s enduring success is its near bargain-basement $45,380 starting price including destination (for the moment, at least), a waterline not many automakers are able to compete with. And like all prices mentioned in this breakdown, this doesn’t take the popular $7,500 federal tax credit into account, for which the electric SUV is eligible.
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2. Tesla Model 3
Not too far behind its crossover sibling is the Model 3, taking second place with a strong 259,400 or so units moved. Like the Model Y, this is up year over year with a 17% boost, a success similarly attributed to the Model 3’s exceptionally attractive $40,380 base price. Those who stuck with the most affordable of Model 3s likely found the car’s EPA-rated 272-mile range more than adequate, a step above most EVs in this price bracket. For 2024, however, only the Performance trim level of the Model 3 qualifies for the federal tax credit.
3. Chevrolet Bolt EV, Bolt EUV
Despite its recent discontinuation, the more egalitarian Chevrolet Bolt EV hatchback and higher-riding Bolt EUV SUV combine sales forces for the third spot on the ladder with more than 62,000 Bolts cumulatively sold in 2023. Consistently a top choice in the compact EV class, the Bolt EV impressed buyers with its thoughtful cabin layout and above-average build quality — not to mention its EPA-rated 259-mile range (the Bolt EUV can go 247 miles on a full charge). At the moment, the Bolt EV and Bolt EUV are both still eligible for the federal tax credit. And though they’re currently discontinued, GM aims to bring the popular EV back for 2025 on a revised Ultium platform.
4. Ford Mustang Mach-E
A segment up and a sales slot down from the Bolt EUV is the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Blue Oval’s first dedicated mass-market EV. Nearly 40,800 Mustang Mach-Es found new homes in 2023, up only slightly over 2022’s 39,458 units. Though it seems like the Mustang Mach-E just debuted a year ago — the passage of time continues to spiral out of control — the 2024 model year marks its fourth, so keen buyers can expect a mid-cycle refresh of the zappy crossover to break cover any month now. When it lands at dealers, look for a corresponding surge in sales.
5. Volkswagen ID.4
The quirky and very chic ID.4 lands a respectable fifth place on the 2023 leaderboard with nearly 37,800 cars sold. Not bad at all, but this is significantly behind VW’s 90,000-unit projections for 2023. This, along with a reportedly planned $11 billion cost-cutting strategy, might signal storm clouds on VeeDub’s horizon. Looking for some sun? Let’s hope the next-generation e-Golf makes it through the development pipeline.
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6. Hyundai Ioniq 5
Though the cyberpunk future sci-fi promised us has yet to arrive, the retrotastic Ioniq 5 has drawn enough attention — and customer adoration — for the sixth spot. As part of Hyundai and sibling rival Kia’s ongoing sales super-streak, we’re a little surprised the Ioniq 5 isn’t higher on the list. Give it time, though: Like a number of other cars on this list, we’re wading though the Ioniq 5’s production ramp-up, as proven by its 48% spike over 2022’s vehicles sold.
7. Tesla Model S
Tesla’s larger Model S sedan and Model X SUV bring up the seventh and (spoiler alert) eighth spots in sales, with the Model S down a not-insignificant 28% year over year at around 26,700 cars sold. This means for every Model S sold in 2023, the automaker moved roughly 10 of the smaller, more affordable Model 3s.
Though still quite the compelling option, increased competition in the mid-size executive electric sedan segment is bringing the fight to Tesla. It’s still the class king for now, but look for a refreshed Model S in the near future to pump these rookie numbers up.
8. Tesla Model X
Life — and sales — of Tesla’s largest SUV have never been easy. While still considered the eighth bestselling EV of 2023, comparing figures with the bestselling Model Y is sobering, as is its 12% year-over-year sales decline. Often cited as too expensive, heavy, ugly and complicated compared to other Teslas, the Model X is in dire need of an overhaul, and rumors peg a refresh or perhaps even redesign sometime in 2026. For now, at least, the Model X still qualifies for the federal EV tax credit.
9. Ford F-150 Lightning
No. 9 goes to a truck we thought would be much higher. As an electrified variant of the de facto bestselling four-wheeled object in the U.S. — more than 750,000 F-Series trucks were sold in 2023 — you’d expect buyers to snap the F-150 Lightning right up based on name recognition alone. Ford admits demand has been a bit slower than expected and has adjusted production to reflect this; still, as EV adoption spreads, it’s probable the Lightning’s popularity will, too. It’s also worth noting that both the standard- and extended-range versions are eligible for the $7,500 tax credit.
10. Rivian R1S
Hey, speaking of trucks — this isn’t one! But, as the R1S pulls every one of its bones from the R1T pickup, it’s darn close to one. In many ways, the apparently popular R1S is simply the closed-deck iteration of the R1T, and shoppers slightly prefer that glassy rear-end over the truck. Though the trendy EV automaker still has production and development costs to fine-tune — the company said 2023’s second quarter saw $32,595 lost per Rivian sold — popularity and production ramp-up should push Rivian’s offerings further up the sales chain. For the meantime, the R1S (as well as the R1T) qualifies for the federal tax credit.
More From Cars.com:
- What Does the EV Tax Credit Overhaul Mean for Car Shoppers?
- Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy
- Electric Vehicles: Understanding the Terminology
- Should I Buy an Electric Car or Plug-In Hybrid?
- Shop for an EV
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