A refreshed electric SUV cleared 17,500 sales in six months and leapfrogged 10 rival brands in the U.S. rankings, and the automaker that every analyst called the biggest EV laggard is the one that pulled it off

A year ago, analysts used one phrase to describe Toyota’s position in the American electric vehicle market: biggest laggard. Toyota sold over 10,000 electric bZ SUVs in the first three months of 2026, beating out GM’s top-selling Chevy Equinox EV. According to Cox Automotive, the company now ranks among the country’s five largest electric vehicle sellers. Nissan quietly ended U.S. production of the all-electric Ariya SUV, choosing not to build a 2026 model year version. The Toyota bZ remained the brand’s biggest success story, accounting for 17,553 sales during the first six months of the year.