10 Bestselling EVs in 2022
Tesla dominates while other automakers struggle to catch up.
Tesla
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Electric vehicles (EVs) have started to come into their own. While sales numbers are still modest, seemingly every brand is dumping money into EV development and coming out with intriguing models. In fact, more than half of the finalists for the North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year Award are electric. Here are the current bestsellers of the EV segment, according to data from Good Car Bad Car. All four of Tesla's vehicles make the cut, with three of them claiming the top spots. Otherwise a smattering of electric crossovers from different brands fill out the rest of the list.
Tesla Model Y
Tesla's compact crossover, the Model Y leads the EV market, with more than 200,000 sales in 2022. It starts at about $50,000 before incentives and now comes with standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The lineup offers Enhanced Autopilot, seven-occupant seating, and up to 330 miles of range, plus the ute can restore up to 162 miles of range in 15 minutes on a Supercharger.
Tesla
Tesla Model 3
The Model 3 is the brand's relative budget buy, opening at around $42,000, but despite its lower price and similarities to the Model Y (with which it shares a platform), fewer shoppers want the compact sedan. Tesla sold more than 195,000 units in 2022. The base rear-drive model can travel 272 miles on a charge, but upgrading to the dual-motor AWD powertrain brings range up to 333 miles.
Tesla
Tesla Model S
Though it demands a base price of about $90,000, the Model S was still in demand, selling more than 90,000 units in 2022. This sedan spearheaded the large-infotainment-screen and minimalist-interior design trends, and for a while it tried to make steering yokes happen. The base model offers up to 405 miles of range and comes standard with two motors, providing AWD. On a Supercharger station, it takes only 15 minutes to recoup 200 miles of range. Moreover, the top-level tri-motor 1,020-hp Model S Plaid has a claimed zero-to-60-mph time of 2.0 seconds and a top speed of 200 mph — tremendous numbers for any car.
Ford
Ford Mustang Mach-E
With more than 39,000 units sold in 2022, the Mustang Mach-E lags behind the top three by a lot. It's hard to know why, given this compact crossover has a relatively affordable price (starting around $46,000), a sporty exterior, signature sequential taillights, optional AWD, a performance GT model, BlueCruise hands-free highway driving capability, and up to 314 miles of range.
Chevrolet
Chevrolet Bolt
The Bolt got off to a rough start in 2022, with Chevy issuing a stop sale and recalling every single vehicle due to fire risk. The brand sold more than 38,000 units in 2022, and now with the situation resolved, the Bolt EV and EUV crossover made up for lost time with significantly reduced prices: The 259-mile hatchback now starts at about $27,000 and the 247-mile EUV at about $29,000.
Tesla
Tesla Model X
Tesla sold more than 24,000 units of its quirky, about $100,000 Model X in 2022. The midsize crossover offers all the assistance tech you see on the other three Teslas but has the added novelty of Falcon Wing rear doors, which open up instead of out. Equipped exclusively with AWD, the Model X can tow 5,000 pounds, go up to 348 miles on a charge, and be equipped with five, six, or seven seats. It also offers stellar performance, with the 1,020-hp Plaid trim boasting a 2.5-second zero-to-60-mph time.
Hyundai
Hyundai Ioniq 5
The new Hyundai Ioniq 5 claims the No. 6 spot on our list, with more than 22,000 units sold in 2022. It has garnered a slew of awards so far, in part due to its futuristic styling, tidy interior, fast-charging capability, and around $43,000 base price. AWD is available, with about 303 miles of range.
Kia
Kia EV6
The Kia EV6 has a more upscale appearance than its Ioniq 5 platform-mate, but just as many features. It starts at around $44,000, and Kia sold more than 18,000 of them in 2022. The model offers up to 310 miles of range and needs only 18 minutes at a fast-charger to bring the battery's state of charge from 10% to 80%.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen ID.4
No. 9 on our list is the ID.4, with more than 15,000 units sold in 2022. Volkswagen did some interesting things with this compact crossover, such as tacking the gearshift knob onto the side of the gauge-cluster screen, providing the driver with one set of window switches to control both front and rear windows, and adorning the accelerator and brake pedals with play and pause icons, respectively. The roughly $40,000 rear-drive base ID.4 sees 209 miles of range, but there are 275-mile models as well as AWD ones.
Nissan
Nissan Leaf
The final EV on our list is the tried-and-true Nissan Leaf, which managed to pull in more than 12,000 sales in 2022. While it allows for one-pedal driving and opens at a decent price of around $29,000, it's not terribly competitive in the compact hatch segment, offering between 147 and 214 horsepower, 212 miles of range at best, and a charging port that many stations can't accommodate. In fact, it's possible, if not likely, that Nissan will cut this model from its lineup in the coming years.
