It&#x27;s been two years since we talked about electric vehicles. A lot has changed since them; much of it, for the better. In this episode: What&#x27;s happening in the EV market. We&#x27;ll discuss standout models, including some new, less expensive options. Plus, what to consider if you&#x27;re thinking about buying a used EV. More from Checkbook: Car Buying Strategies Auto Repair Shops How to Save Money on Car Repairs Vehicle Service Contracts Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

111 - EV Update 2026

Consumerpedia

# Full Transcript

**Podcast:** Consumerpedia

## Transcript

Dramatically higher gas prices caused by the war with Iran have become a real drain on household budgets for millions of Americans. According to the industry analysts at Edmunds, the price spike is nudging interest in electric vehicles. But that interest is not yet translating into a significant increase in new EV purchases. Electric vehicles are expensive, preventing many families from switching to one, even if they want to.

Get this, the average transaction price of a new electric model in March, according to Cox Automotive, was about $55,000, compared to about $47,000 for all other vehicles. So, what's a buyer to do? I'm Herb Weissbaum, the Consumer Man, a Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org. Welcome to Consumerpedia. At Checkbook.org, we're the nonprofit that helps consumers select services, avoid trouble, and save money.

Because we don't accept any advertising or take money from any business we recommend, you can rely on Checkbook.org to be completely independent and objective. Now, here's the host of Consumerpedia, America's consumer expert, the Consumer Man, Herb Weissbaum. It's been two years now since we last talked about electric vehicles, and a lot has changed since then, much of it for the better. In this episode, an update on the changes taking place right now in the EV market.

We'll run down some standout models, including some new, less expensive options. Plus, what to consider if you're thinking about buying a used EV. We have two great guests on the line to talk about all this and a lot more. Paul Eisenstein is an award-winning publisher and editor, and one of the world's most widely published automotive journalists. Paul publishes the Headlight News website. He's also the editor-in-chief for the Car Collective on Substack.

And because he doesn't have enough to do, Paul is on the jury that picks the North American Car and Truck of the Year. Hey, Paul, it's nice to have you back with us. Hey, it's great to be with you, Herb. It's been too long. And joining us again is Keith Berry, a senior writer and editor at Consumer Reports. Keith is based at CR's Auto Test Center in Colchester, Connecticut, and his work focuses on automotive technology, road safety, and the car buying experience. And Keith, it's nice to have you with us again. Thanks, and glad to be here.

So there's no question EVs are pricey, and since President Trump killed the federal EV tax credit of up to $7,500, EV sales have experienced what Cox Automotive calls, quote, a significant market contraction. In other words, sales have dropped. So, Paul, some car makers are responding to this by dropping models or working to create new vehicles with lower price points, right? Oh, absolutely. Across the board, we're seeing virtually every automaker scale back their EV programs.

In some cases, they're scaling it back worldwide. Honda, for example, just suffered their first ever full year loss since they were i...

111 - EV Update 2026

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.

111 - EV Update 2026

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are findingedge in conversations you're not hearing.

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.