U.S. EV Sales Fall 25% as Battery Durability Data Contradicts Consumer Fears

U.S. electric car sales dropped 25% year-on-year through mid-2026, even as empirical data undermines the primary barrier to adoption. Recurrent Auto's analysis of 250 million EV miles shows annual battery degradation of just 1–2%; NREL modeling projects 12–15 year lifespan. The gap suggests consumer confidence lags technical reality. Cost, not range anxiety, now drives the adoption constraint.