Hybrid Sales Surge As Gas Prices Skyrocket

Hybrid sales across America surged 9.2 percent last month, even as auto sales fell for the eighth straight year, according to data from the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). NADA data shows hybrids were the only powertrain segment in the US to see growth last month, accounting for 14.5% of all new vehicles sold, a 2.1% increase compared to April last year.

Demand for EVs has been stripped away by regulatory changes like the suspension of infrastructure build-out funding and the end of tax incentives in September. Meanwhile, gas prices have skyrocketed to near-record highs following American-Israeli attacks on Iran and the subsequent shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, from which around 20% of global oil traffic flowed last year. That leaves hybrids: the middle ground.

EV sales dropped by 35.5% year-to-date, causing total market share to fall to only 5.1% of new cars sold. Hyundai and Kia, both part of the broader Hyundai Motor Group, have continued to reap the benefits of this shift in consumer appetites. The two sold more than 40,000 hybrids combined in April alone, making up for 30% of the brand's sales volume. Toyota, though not quite the leader, Hyundai is in hybrid sales, said that more than half of its total US sales were electrified models (that is, full-electric vehicles or hybrids) in March 2026 during its first-quarter sales reports.

However, the shift in demand may only be temporary. Hybrids and electrics are, by and large, pricier than gas cars, and thanks to the breadth of regulatory changes since the Trump Administration took the reins, gas cars are now the de facto vehicle of choice. They account for an overwhelming majority of both new and used vehicles. In a medium-sized state like Colorado, just 4.5% of vehicles on the road are EVs or plug-in hybrids. While high prices have consumers looking for ways to save on gas, the car-buying public may revert once prices for gas fall.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 9:26 AM.