Rivian Jumps to #2 US EV Brand in Q3 2026, Up From #10 a Year Ago

Rivian is now the second-best-selling EV brand in the US. According to Electrek's write-up of Cox Automotive's new Q3 2026 sales report, it moved up from 10th place last year. In the third quarter Rivian sold more EVs than every brand except Tesla, which pushed Chevrolet out of the #2 spot. The jump came even though most automakers saw their EV sales fall.

What happened

Q3 2026 was always going to look rough next to last year. Q3 2025 set sales records as buyers rushed to purchase before the $7,500 federal EV incentive went away, so a year-over-year drop was expected. Cox Automotive's figures confirmed it, with almost every brand down for the quarter.

Five brands grew anyway: Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, Subaru, and Rivian. Each one had fresh models in showrooms:

• Toyota: the improved bZ and the new C-HR
• Lexus: the new ES
• Subaru: the Trailseeker and Uncharted
• Mercedes: the CLA
• Rivian: the new R2

Electrek notes that several brands with falling sales have cancelled EV models, including some that used to be their best-sellers. It also cites UC Davis research suggesting US EV sales are held back mainly because automakers aren't building EVs, not because shoppers lack interest.

Tesla still leads, and Chevy loses its silver medal

The Tesla Model Y is still the best-selling EV in the US, though its sales fell year over year. Even with an almost 20% drop in sales from a year earlier, Tesla stayed well ahead of every other brand.

Chevrolet used to hold second place. It still sells several capable EVs, including the updated, affordable Bolt, but Electrek reports the Bolt is being cancelled next year. GM is still #2 if you add up all of its brands. Electrek says that may not last if Rivian keeps growing.

The R2 is just getting started

Rivian reached #2 at the very start of R2 sales. The R2 is a smaller, much cheaper sibling of the R1S. It's aimed at the same buyers as the Model Y and is considered make-or-break for the company. It went on sale only a few months ago, and Rivian booked just 3,456 R2 units in Q3. That's fewer than the number of R1S SUVs it sold.

Electrek expects that to change once Rivian builds up production and adds lower-end trims around $50,000. That's a big step down from the roughly $80,000 R1S, and Electrek compares the likely effect to what happened when the cheaper Model Y followed the Model X.

"Rivian has now shot up to second place in Q3, selling more EVs in the quarter than anyone except for Tesla. And that's just at the start of R2 sales." — Electrek, citing Cox Automotive's Q3 2026 sales report

What this means for EV owners

If you're shopping for a midsize electric SUV, there are now more real options. A strong R2 gives the Model Y serious competition, and that usually means better products and pricing for buyers. Electrek also points out that high oil prices have made the case for driving electric even stronger, which helps explain why EV sales have kept recovering since the incentive ended.

Whatever you end up driving, home charging is the biggest upgrade for everyday convenience and cost. You can compare Level 2 options in our EV chargers collection and find charging adapters in our adapters collection. If you're sticking with Tesla, we carry fitted accessories for the Model Y and the new Model Y Juniper. You can also browse everything by car in our shop-by-vehicle collection.

The bottom line

Rivian climbed from #10 to #2 in a year by launching a new, more affordable model while most of its rivals slowed down. Tesla still has a big lead. But the R2 has barely started production, and its cheaper trims are still to come, so Rivian's position could get stronger over the next few quarters. EV shoppers can expect more competition in the midsize SUV class.