GM reports 5.5% decline in third-quarter U.S. sales as EV sales drop
Signage at a General Motors Co. Chevrolet dealership in Colma, California, US, on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
General Motors on Thursday reported a year-over-year sales decline of 5.5%, with 670,974 new vehicles sold during the third quarter.
GM’s sales of all-electric vehicles are down across the board, as enthusiasm for electric vehicles wanes. EV demand spiked last year ahead of the Trump administration ending up to $7,500 in federal incentives for consumers to purchase an electric vehicle. During the same period last year, GM reported record sales of its EVs.
Against those comparisons EVs this year saw dramatic drops, with the Equinox EV was down 92.4% during the most recent quarter, at 1,905 vehicles sold. The Blazer EV was down 84.4% and Hummer EV sales fell 72.9%.
The report comes after Cox Automotive said last week that new vehicle sales have been stronger than expected this year and raised its 2026 forecast by roughly 2%, to 16.1 million units.
Hybrid vehicle sales are expected to capture a growing market share of car sales, as inflated gas prices pressure consumers.
Despite offering a broad EV lineup, the Detroit automaker only offers one hybrid vehicle, a Corvette. Experts expect GM’s weakness in the sector to impact its overall sales.
High fuel prices, with an AAA national average of $4.41, were also expected to impact sales of big trucks and SUVs, sectors that GM relies on. GM’s full-size pickups were relatively flat.
Each of the automaker’s brands are down so far year-to-date, led by a 25% decline in Cadillac.
GM’s lower-cost vehicles are a bright spot for the company as consumers face high inflation. The Silverado Trailblazer was up 51% for the third quarter, while sales of Buick Envista were up 18.4% and Chevrolet Trax up 16.3%.
