EV Sales Plunge 25% Even as Battery Longevity Data Erodes the Core Adoption Barrier

U.S. EV sales dropped 25% year-on-year through mid-2026, a significant reversal occurring precisely as empirical evidence strengthens that battery range anxiety—historically the primary adoption friction—is now largely a perception gap. Recurrent Auto's analysis of 250 million electric car miles shows degradation at 1–2% annually. NREL modeling projects 12–15 year battery life. The disconnect signals that consumer confidence lags technical reality and cost remains the binding constraint.