Between January and December 2024, General Motors was the leading automotive manufacturer based on sales in the United States. The Detroit company sold nearly 2.7 million passenger cars and light trucks in the U.S., which was around 10,000 more vehicles compared with the same time period one year earlier. Most other manufacturers also recorded an increase in sales in 2024 as they rebounded from the impact of the semiconductor shortage. Tesla, in contrast, reported a year-over-year decrease in sales volume. Electric sales continue growth In 2023, electric vehicles have fared better than conventional vehicles so far. Tesla’s vehicle sales are indicative of this trend on a global level, despite a slight decrease in U.S. sales. Tesla's worldwide deliveries broke records in 2023. However, competition is beginning to gain momentum, and manufacturers such as General Motors are continuing to add new electric vehicle models into their range of vehicles offered. Newcomers such as the Lucid Group and Karma Automotive are also gaining speed, with the Lucid Air Dream Edition Range being the electric vehicle from Model Year 2023 with the longest range. Vehicle market trends stabilize Annual retail sales of new light vehicles in the United States peaked in 2016, when the industry sold over three million units more than in 2020. The declining trend took place during a period of stagnation in the global automotive market, which saw light vehicle sales decline by around 14.4 percent between 2019 and 2020. Though 2023 recorded an uptick in light vehicle sales, this volume remained below pre-pandemic levels. During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, transport modes that minimize contact with other people have become more attractive. U.S. vehicle sales have been relatively stable across 2022, and had started to grow in 2023.

The U.S. auto industry sold nearly ************* cars in 2024. That year, total car and light truck sales were approximately ************ in the United States. U.S. vehicle sales peaked in 2016 at roughly ************ units. Pandemic impact The COVID-19 pandemic deeply impacted the U.S. automotive market, accelerating the global automotive semiconductor shortage and leading to a drop in demand during the first months of 2020. However, as demand rebounded, new vehicle supply could not keep up with the market. U.S. inventory-to-sales ratio dropped to its lowest point in February 2022, as Russia's war on Ukraine lead to gasoline price hikes. During that same period, inflation also impacted new and used car prices, pricing many U.S. consumers out of a market with increasingly lower car stocks. Focus on fuel economy The U.S. auto industry had one of its worst years in 1982 when customers were beginning to feel the effects of the 1973 oil crisis and the energy crisis of 1979. Since light trucks would often be considered less fuel-efficient, cars accounted for about ** percent of light vehicle sales back then. Thanks to improved fuel economy for light trucks and cheaper gas prices, this picture had completely changed in 2020. That year, prices for Brent oil dropped to just over ** U.S. dollars per barrel. The decline occurred in tandem with lower gasoline prices, which came to about **** U.S. dollars per gallon in 2020 - and cars only accounted for less than one-fourth of light vehicle sales that year. Four years on, prices are dropping again, after being the highest on record since 1990 in 2022.

In the third quarter of 2025, over ******* battery-electric vehicles were sold in the United States. This was a year-over-year increase of over ***percent compared to the sales recorded in the third quarter of 2024. The third quarter of 2025 also recorded a hike in sales compared to the second quarter of that same year, making it the best quarter for BEV sales in the country ever. The stark increase in sales in the third quarter of 2025 is tied to the elimination of EV purchase incentives by the U.S. government. The fourth quarter of 2025 could very well see a decrease in sales. Global EV Race - Where does the U.S. stand? Over the last few years, consumers have perceived Electric Vehicles (EVs) as a far more appealing option due to their increased range, battery life, variety of models, and affordability. Therefore, the EV market has grown fast in recent years and is forecast to expand to ****billion U.S. dollars in 2029. Though the global demand for electric cars has been escalating, American sales lag behind Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. In 2024, Chinese customers bought around **** million plug-in EVs, considerably more than American customers' purchases, around *** million that year. China leads the global EV race, with a substantial **** percent growth in sales year-on-year in 2024. However, given the market share of electric vehicles in the global automotive industry, this still can be anyone's race. Outlook of the U.S. market There is still a lack of interest in electric vehicles among American buyers compared to European and Asian consumers. In the first half of 2021, the share of the battery electric vehicle was **** percentage points more in Norway than in the U.S. One of the main reasons is that American consumers still anticipate that EVs are more expensive than gasoline vehicles and diesel internal combustion engine cars (ICE). This perception is partially true in the U.S. since the battery production market is highly concentrated in Asia, where the companies have logistical advantages, leading automotive makers to offer better prices. On the other hand, high licensing fees for electric vehicles are another factor affecting the consumption behaviors of automobile purchasers. In many states, the licensing fees for electric cars are considerably higher than their ICE counterparts. EV licensing fees were around *** U.S. dollars compared to ** U.S. dollars for standard vehicles in Georgia in 2021. Together, these factors significantly impact the individual perception of electric cars in the United States.

Total Vehicle Sales in the United States decreased to 15.30 Million in October from 16.40 Million in September of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Total Vehicle Sales - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

In 2024, General Motors sold six million vehicles. This compares to around 6.2 million units in 2023, representing a decline of around 3.04 percent year-over-year. Turbulent past years still impact GM GM’s brands include Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac, the first two of which were ranked within the top-eleven automobile manufacturers based on U.S. vehicle sales in the fourth quarter of 2023. Figures revealed a significant industry-wide stagnation two years earlier, in 2021, with industry sales increasing by under two percent compared to 2020. Sales had started to rebound in the fourth quarter of 2020, but the global chip shortage further impacted the sector in 2021, shrinking vehicle production and inventory. These automotive supply chain issues were exacerbated in 2022, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In 2023, General Motors had to contend with the United Auto Workers strike. This strike led to an estimated 4.35 billion U.S. dollars in losses for the Detroit Three manufacturers (General Motors, Stellantis, and Ford), and contributed to shaping GM's year. GM accelerates future-proof innovations With Tesla infamously driving innovation in the field of electric vehicles (EV), General Motors, along with other incumbent car manufacturers, are set to join the fiercely competitive U.S. electric vehicle industry. In 2024, Tesla sold around 633,800 battery-electric vehicle units in the U.S. market. General Motors, however, plans to invest around 20 billion U.S. dollars in its EV product portfolio, including SUVs and pickups, by 2025. As of 2024, General Motors Company is also exploring artificial intelligence technology. To that end, GM partnered with Google in August 2023.

The number of battery electric vehicles sold in the United States came to about *** millions in 2024, with sales of Tesla models accounting for around **** percent of that figure. Second-ranked Ford accounted for only *** percent of U.S. battery electric vehicle sales. Tesla puts electric vehicle sales in the fast lane The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling all-electric car in the United States in 2024, with the Model 3 a strong runner-up. Tesla enjoyed a successful year in 2024, with sales in the United States generating revenues of around **** billion U.S. dollars. Tesla’s sales performance in 2024 not only strengthened its position as one of the market leaders in the EV market, but it also made an impression on the overall automotive market in the United States. Positive news regarding battery charge time One of the main talking points regarding battery electric vehicles is the time it takes to charge them. The number of publicly available fast chargers is increasing across the United States, and these are proving essential for vehicle users who wish to drive long distances. Vehicles equipped with a fast-charging socket can be charged much quicker because fast chargers provide power directly to the battery, without the need for an in-car inverter. A vehicle with a battery capacity of 75 kWh can, for example, be charged to a suitable level in around one hour using a quick charger delivering 50 kW of power.

The South America Electric Vehicles Market is segmented by Vehicle Type (Commercial Vehicles, Passenger Vehicles, Two-Wheelers), by Fuel Category (BEV, FCEV, HEV, PHEV) and by Country (Brazil). The report offers market size in both market value in USD and market volume in unit. Further, the report includes a market split by Vehicle Type, Vehicle Configuration, Vehicle Body Type, Propulsion Type, and Fuel Category.

In 2022, U.S. auto shoppers bought approximately 2.86 million autos. Meanwhile, light trucks accounted for more than 79 percent of light vehicles sold to individual customers and corporate fleets in the United States.

Since the late 1970s, the U.S. auto market has suffered a severe decline. Total auto sales (domestic and foreign) have fallen from the highs of over 11 million units in 1977 and 1978 to an anemic average of 8.5 million units since 1980. The sales performance of U.S. autos has become one of the business horror stories of the 1980s, as imports consistently have captured a greater share of the shrinking new-car market. Accompanying the sales dive of U.S. autos is a corresponding dip in the capacity utilization rate of U.S. motor vehicle industries; this measure fellfrom 99 percent in 1977 to approximately 60 percent in 1982. Total employment in these industries declined nearly 27 percent over the same period. With an industry so decimated, it has been difficult for market analysts to predict the level of auto sales in 1983. After examining the sources of new-car demand, we still question whether the recent weakness in the auto industry is temporary or whether it represents a long-run downward adjustment that could continue indefinitely.

Graph and download economic data for Sales of imported new autos (B149RC1Q027SBEA) from Q1 1947 to Q2 2025 about imports, vehicles, new, sales, GDP, and USA.

Crossovers are Americans’ favorite type of passenger vehicle. This category accounts for over ** percent of automobile sales in the United States as of June 2022. The most popular models include Honda’s CR-V, Nissan’s Rogue, and Toyota’s RAV4. In the first quarter of 2022, U.S. auto buyers bought just under ******* units of Toyota’s RAV4 model, making it the best-selling vehicle in this category. Toyota is the market leader   The RAV4 was one of the very first specimens of its kind, as production of this model began in 1994. Toyota was the second most valuable automotive manufacturer worldwide in 2022, with a brand value of just over **** billion dollars. It followed Tesla, which was first in the ranking with a gap of over ** billion dollars compared to the runner-up. Toyota’s net revenue rose to **** trillion Japanese yen in 2022 (around *** billion U.S. dollars as of March 2022 exchange rates), a visible growth of over ** percent compared to 2021, despite the manufacturer being impacted by the global automotive chip shortage.  Crossovers benefit from the shift away from sedans   Crossover SUVs (sport utility vehicles) combine the fuel efficiency levels of compact and midsized cars and the higher seating positions of light trucks. They gained in popularity when fuel prices were low and, consequently, automakers increased production volumes and model additions of this vehicle type. Between 2014 and 2021, U.S. car sales fell from over *** million to around **** million units. Concurrently, light truck sales increased from *** million units in 2014 to close to **** million units in 2021. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on vehicle demand led to a *** percent drop in light truck sales in 2020. This drop in vehicle sales impacted countries across the globe. In 2020, Germany recorded a loss of over ******* sales of SUVs compared to 2019, whereas China’s new SUV registrations remained stable between the two years.

The United States was the largest single target market for General Motors in 2023. During that fiscal year, the Detroit company and its associations sold some *** million motor vehicles to customers in China, the world’s largest automobile market. Overall, GM’s dealers, distributors, and joint ventures reported vehicle sales of some *** million units, almost *** million of which occurred in China and the United States.  Ownership cap China began to deregulate its automotive sector in the mid-1990s but prohibited foreign firms from owning more than ** percent of stakes in joint ventures. General Motors joined forces with Shanghai-based SAIC on June 12, 1997. The SAIC Motor Corporation, which is also involved in a partnership with Volkswagen, was the leading automobile manufacturer in China in 2021 with car sales of nearly *** million units. Currently, the SAIC-GM joint venture sells vehicles under the Buick, Chevrolet, and Cadillac brands. General Motors also sells commercial vehicles in collaboration with the Changchun-headquartered automotive manufacturing company FAW Group Corporation.

Graph and download economic data for Retail Sales: Used Car Dealers (MRTSMPCSM44112USN) from Feb 1992 to Jul 2025 about used, dealers, retail trade, vehicles, sales, retail, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Advance Retail Sales: Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers (MARTSMPCSM441USS) from Feb 1992 to Aug 2025 about dealers, parts, retail trade, vehicles, percent, sales, retail, and USA.

Tesla dominated battery electric vehicle sales in the United States in 2019 with a market share of almost ** percent. The company sold an estimated ******* battery electric vehicles in that year, helped by its line-up of electric vehicles including the Model 3, Model X, and Model S. Miles ahead of the competition Tesla employs close to ****** people worldwide, with around ****** of those based at its main production factory in California. The number of Tesla vehicles produced worldwide started to increase significantly when mass production of the Model 3 was scaled up during 2018. In the same year, the company sold approximately ******* battery electric vehicles in the United States, accounting for around ** percent of all battery electric vehicles sold in the country. What range do electric cars have? Two reasons why drivers will not consider buying an electric vehicle are range and charge; however, new battery technology is helping to change those opinions. Tesla vehicles dominate the list of electric vehicles with the greatest battery range in the United States, with some models being able to travel further than 300 miles on a single charge. Tesla’s network of superchargers also provides access to the most electric vehicle fast-charging outlets in the United States, making the process of recharging the battery easier and quicker.

At about **** percent, General Motors (GM) held a significant portion of the U.S. market in 2024. However, over the course of the last two decades, GM has lost a considerable amount of market share, which stood at about ** percent some 19 years ago. The company General Motors is a multinational company headquartered in Detroit and is ranked among the leading automobile manufacturers worldwide based on revenue. GM has had some variability in the number of cars sold worldwide, with a decline in recent years, especially after selling the Opel and Vauxhall brands to PSA. However, GM's financial statements indicate that there has been a recent increase in income globally, with 2024 having the highest sales revenue. The company's revenue had started to drop significantly in 2019, but by 2023, the company had recovered from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain shortages. GM includes many brands such as Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, and several other companies. The global automotive industry The global automotive industry is facing new challenges with the advent of smart technology. The recent decade has seen the greatest production volume of cars and commercial vehicles around the world, but the COVID-19 pandemic and global automotive chip shortage have led to production halts and to a steep decrease in the global automotive output. By 2024, the industry had started to recover from these challenges.

Retail Inventories Ex Autos in the United States decreased to 0 percent in August from 0.20 percent in July of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United States Retail Inventories Ex Autos.

General Motors sold between around *** million cars in the United States in 2024. The Michigan-based multinational corporation had a U.S. market share of around **** percent in 2024 when U.S. light vehicle sales reached just over **** million units.

At around **** percent, General Motors held the largest share of the auto market in the United States in 2024. General Motors remained the most successful automotive manufacturer in the United States. Between 2004 and 2021, however, the manufacturer lost market share, while that of Toyota rose as a result of an increased focus on light truck models in the lineup. This shifted in 2022, but 2023 led to another slight drop in market share of the American automaker. Asian manufacturers dominate non-domestic competition Among the non-domestic manufacturers, Asian automakers proved to be the most successful group. Asian car brands selling vehicles to customers in the United States include Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, and Subaru. Toyota was also among the most valuable automotive brands worldwide as of June 2024. Both Toyota and Lexus were among the ten brands with the highest consumer satisfaction in the United States that same year. How many brands do auto manufacturers own? General Motors, Ford, and Toyota are the leading automotive manufacturers based on market share in the United States. The Ford Motor Company mainly sells vehicles under its namesake brand, while the Toyota Motor Corporation offers several brands, including Lexus and Toyota. General Motors sells vehicles under various brands, including Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC. In 2017, GM and PSA Group closed a deal in which the French carmaker acquired GM's Opel and Vauxhall brands.

In 2024, Ford remained the leading car brand in the United States based on vehicle sales, delivering about *** million units to U.S. customers. The United States is the largest market for Ford: wholesales to U.S. dealerships reached over *** million vehicles in 2023. Car sales among major manufacturers The top three U.S. car brands are assembled and distributed by the leading manufacturers in the U.S. market: Ford Motor Company, Toyota Motor Corporation, and General Motors (GM). As of the fourth quarter of 2024, GM's largest segment of sales was attributable to its Chevrolet-badged vehicles. Within the Ford Motor Corporation, the Ford division accounted for the largest number of vehicle sales. And finally, Toyota’s largest distribution of this sales volume was attributable to the Toyota brand vehicles. Automotive industry overview Production and sales volumes are declining among the key automotive brands in the United States, as a result of the accelerated automotive semiconductor shortage, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the fact that the automotive manufacturing and sales market is highly competitive both within the U.S. and globally. Electric vehicles emerged as the leading trend in Europe since 2020 and the U.S. electric vehicle industry has been catching up. Furthermore, it is forecast that autonomous vehicles will disrupt the U.S. market between 2020 and 2030.