Skip to main content

Hybrids overtake EVs, according to CarGurus report

ev charging in sunny weather
Blue Planet Studio / Shutterstock

Over the last several years, electric vehicles have quickly become one of the hottest topics in the autoverse. Led by the polarizing Elon Musk and his ever-advancing fleet of Teslas, the pro-EV movement has managed to engender equal parts support and opposition. But, despite its controversial status, the bottom line of the argument is, in fact, the bottom line of the balance sheet for manufacturers. Meaning that as long as EVs are selling, not much else matters for carmakers.

In a wildly contended statement a few months ago, Toyota’s CEO Akio Toyoda stated that EVs would never dominate the sales market and that hybrids were a better alternative. While even more time will be needed to confirm this statement to be true in perpetuity, CarGurus has recently released a few findings that prove the public agrees with Akio Toyoda’s thinking.

CarGurus ICE/EV/Hybrid
CarGurus / CarGurus

With sales up 38.2% year-over-year, it has become clear that hybrids have quickly become a popular choice for car buyers. Hybrids offer an attractive compromise between reliable and easy-to-refuel ICE-powered cars and zero-emissions electric vehicles that suffer from a still-growing support infrastructure.

Recommended Videos

The graphs above comprise one hundred percent of powertrain sales listings from January 2020 to August 2024. Over the four years and nine months this study compares, ICE engines dominated the market until around the end of 2022. But in the last third of the chart, we see a huge dip in new ICE listings, where EVs (or BEVs) and Hybrids gained significant traction (no pun intended).

Beyond that, in the used listings chart, hybrid listings are more than double that of EVs. While an astute EV proponent might say that fewer EVs are available on the used market because owners keep their cars longer, it might be a solid argument if it were not for the initial graph that shows new EVs also pale in comparison to hybrid listings by almost half.

Lou Ruggieri
A lifelong lover of cars, Lou contributes to Motor Trend, Hot Cars, Auto & Truck Connection, and the PowerAutoMedia Group.
Rivian recalls more than 17,000 R1T vehicles for another headlight issue
Rivian recalls more than 17,000 R1T models
Second-generation Rivian R1T right front three-quarter view parked on a beach backed up to the rocks on the edge of the shore.

**Summary**
Rivian Automotive, LLC (Rivian) is issuing a recall for certain 2025 R1S and R1T vehicles. A significant concern is the failure of low beam headlights to illuminate upon starting the vehicle in cold temperatures, which means these vehicles do not meet the safety requirements outlined in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”
**Remedy**
Rivian will replace the malfunctioning headlight control modules at no cost to the vehicle owners. Notification letters are expected to be mailed out on March 28, 2025. For more details or assistance, owners may contact Rivian customer service at 1-888-748-4261. The designated recall number for this issue is FSAM-1612.
**Notes**
Owners seeking further information may also reach out to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or visit nhtsa.gov for additional guidance.

Full Description
Rivian electric vehicles (EVs) are currently grappling with yet another concerning headlight issue that highlights ongoing challenges in their development. Initially, owners of the Tesla Cybertruck-fighting R1T pickup and the R1S SUV faced frustration due to ice buildup on the headlights, which failed to generate enough heat to melt away frost and snow during chilly conditions.

Read more
Red Bull teams reveal new liveries for their 2025 F1 cars
Two Red Bull cars have two looks: the icon and the fresh start
Red Bull Racing RB21 F1 car for the 2025 season right front three-quarter view.

Check out the 2025 F1 race car liveries for both Red Bull teams.

During the F1 75 Live launch event for the 2025 Formula 1 season at the O2 Arena in London on February 18, each of the ten teams revealed new livery for their latest versions of their new race cars. Realizing many fans would want a closer look, Ferrari released images and general specifications for the Scuderia's 2025 car, the SF-25. Red Bull did the same thing.

Read more
A closer look at the Scuderia Ferrari SF-25 race car for the 2025 F1 Championship
The SF-25 is the seventy-first single-seater the Scuderia built for F1 racing
Scuderia Ferrari SF-25 left rear three-quarter view.

Scuderia Ferrari gave us a distant view of its 2025 SF-25 race car at the F1 75 Live 2025 F1 season launch at the 02 Arena in London. One day later, Ferrari went one better, providing high-res photos of the car and the major specs of the new power unit.

It might have been hard for many fans to see the SF-25 at the London event because it was the first time most people saw seven-time Champion Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari red after switching from the Mercedes F1 team. But now we can focus on the new car, and it's a beauty.
The thinking behind the SF-25

Read more