American Drivers Are Going to Develop a Hybrid Habit

Americans like their electric vehicles to come with a side of gasoline. Sales of conventional hybrid vehicles, which combine internal combustion and electric drivetrains but don’t plug in to recharge, jumped by almost a fifth in the first half of 2026, year over year, while pure battery EVs slumped by a quarter. The most obvious catalysts were the Iran war’s impact on pump prices and the removal of EV subsidies, respectively.