Americans Still Aren’t Buying EVs Despite High Gas Prices – Jalopnik

Happy Thursday! It’s October 8, 2026, and that is The Morning Shift — your day by day roundup of the highest automotive headlines from around the globe, in a single place. This is the place you may discover a very powerful tales which might be shaping the best way Americans drive and get round.

In this morning’s version we’re taking a look at how the Trump administration has pushed EV gross sales into the bottom, whereas additionally serving to to sluggish gross sales on huge vehicles and luxurious SUVs. We’ll additionally take a look at legislation exemptions for autonomous tractor trailers, and Polestar’s ominous gross sales. 

If you would like a recap of the newest auto information despatched to your inbox every weekday, you’ll be able to join Jalopnik’s free Morning Shift publication right here.

Europe cannot get sufficient EVs, particularly as fuel costs rise because of the dumb struggle on Iran. In the U.S., although, we’re nonetheless not shopping for electrical automobiles whilst our wallets damage. Why not go electrical? Well, ask Donald Trump. From Reuters: 

EV gross sales within the US are down 30.7% this 12 months by means of ‌September, in response to analysis agency Motor Intelligence, accounting for simply 6% of total gross sales. That’s lower than the 8.5% at the moment a 12 months in the past, when consumers rushed to beat the expiration of a $7,500 federal tax credit score.

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In the US, the Trump administration labored with Congress to get rid of assist for ​EVs, and watered down fuel-efficiency laws. High tariffs and a ban on Chinese-made car software program have successfully blocked Chinese automotive manufacturers.

EVs make up 6% of latest automotive gross sales within the U.S., however 23.2% of gross sales in Europe — we have dropped off because the expiration of the tax credit score (and particularly because the rush of consumers seeking to get in on credit whereas they might) however the EU has continued to promote an increasing number of. Our gasoline effectivity laws have been slashed, our EV infrastructure funding has disappeared, and automakers have shut down deliberate EV merchandise within the U.S. left an proper. Thus, far fewer low-cost new EVs and fewer infrastructure, and it is no shock our consumers are turning in direction of hybrids and cheaper used EVs. 

There’s plenty of discuss proper now a couple of “K-shaped economy,” the place the wealthy get richer and the broke get dealer. But the wealthy love their huge vehicles and SUVs, and gross sales of these automobiles are slowing whereas crossovers hold flying off seller tons. What’s the deal? From Automotive News: 

“More expensive and less fuel-efficient segments such as full-size pickups, heavy-duty trucks, and luxury full-size and midsize SUVs are seeing their days’ supplies move up faster than smaller, more fuel-efficient ones,” [analyst Rick] Wainschel stated. “Additionally, those larger and less fuel-efficient segments are seeing notable increases in inventory because they are not [selling] as fast as they are being added.”

U.S. gross sales of full-size pickups this 12 months have been a blended bag. Stellantis’ Ram pickup gross sales are up 12 months over 12 months whereas the Ford F-series, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and the Toyota Tundra are all down. But lagging gross sales of industrial quality pickups — the place diesel powertrains predominate — have dragged down outcomes for a number of fashions by means of September.

Not to get all into financial concept right here, however F-150s and Silveradoes are beloved by the children of petit bourgeois Americans who assume they’re on the prime of the Okay form. It appears a few of them are realizing that they don’t seem to be, in actual fact, on the prime of the highest — the briefly embarrassed billionaires stay embarrassed. 

Have you ever observed that tractor trailers on the aspect of the street at all times have these reflective triangles behind them? Well, these triangles are legally mandated, which presents an issue for autonomous trucking firms seeking to minimize these pesky human employees out of the equation. The resolution? Get a waiver for the legislation. From Reuters: 

The US transportation division stated late on Wednesday it accredited a five-year exemption ​for Aurora and different self-driving trucking firms from guidelines that ‌require drivers to put warning gadgets round a stopped truck.

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In 2023, ​Alphabet’s self-driving unit Waymo and Aurora collectively sought a waiver of ​US guidelines requiring reflective triangles to be positioned outdoors stopped vehicles ⁠to assist stop crashes.

USDOT stated Wednesday it has agreed to permit ​autonomous trucking firms to make use of warning beacons mounted on the truck cab to ​keep away from needing human drivers and stated they provided an equal or better degree of security.

I’m considered one of Jalopnik’s extra staunch anti-self-driving people, however even I must admit that this waiver appears high quality. Illuminated beacons on a truck’s cab are definitely extra seen than reflective triangles, even when they do not cowl the entire “trailer” a part of the tractor trailer. 

It’s the tip of an period for Polestar as a U.S. model. The marque is banned from bringing in 2027 automobiles, and its 2026 inventories are operating out on seller tons. Every gross sales report from the corporate is, at the very least for now, a countdown to its expulsion. From Reuters: 

Polestar is near promoting out its remaining mannequin 12 months 2026 automobiles within the ​US, CEO Michael Lohscheller informed Reuters on Thursday, because the Swedish ‌automaker faces a US ban on promoting new automobiles from the following mannequin 12 months.

The firm, majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding [RIC:RIC:GEELY.UL], posted third-quarter gross sales quantity of 14,371 items, 1% ​larger than 14,222 a 12 months in the past.

Here are some particulars:

* The firm offered ​about 2,160 items within the US through the quarter, in contrast ⁠with 966 final 12 months
* US gross sales have been robust within the quarter “as we are ​now selling the last model year 26 cars,” Lohscheller stated

RIP Polestar, we hardly knew ye. Or what your complete deal was imagined to be. The efficiency wing of Volvo, but additionally the electrical wing of Volvo, but additionally not meaningfully distinct from Volvo on efficiency, electrification, or design? 

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

Gas costs are simply sitting there. Ominously. Lurking, even. 

It’s a type of years.