Depending on how you interpret preliminary sales data, the Tesla Model Y was the best-selling car globally in 2023 of all categories. It was a milestone moment not just for Elon Musk’s company, but also for electric cars and the industry. In the U.S., Tesla’s electric crossover fared well, but ranked behind several traditionally popular models, 2023 registration data crunched by S&P Global Mobility showed.
Ford’s F-Series truck, including the sub-categories and several variants of F-150, F-250, and F-350 together accounted for 676,989 registrations in the U.S. in 2023, ranking right on top.
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America still overwhelmingly loves gas-guzzling trucks.
It’s 2024. The climate crisis is out of control. Health hazards caused due to vehicular emissions are on the rise. But inadequate charging infrastructure and range anxiety mean gas cars are here to stay. However, two EVs are now in the top ten when it comes to retail registrations, the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.
The Chevrolet Silverado ranked second with 540,294 registrations, while the Toyota RAV4 placed third with 430,573 registrations. Four of the top ten were trucks, with just one sedan, S&P data showed, via Automotive News.
Ram’s trucks drew 403,033 registrations, while the Model Y came in the fifth spot with 394,593 U.S. registrations in 2023, moving up from the ninth position from the year before. This was the second consecutive year that the Model Y ranked among the top ten vehicle registrations.
Rankings six through 10 include the Honda CR-V, GMC Sierra, Toyota Camry, Nissan Rogue, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
| Top five U.S. vehicle registrations in 2023 (S&P Global data via Automotive News) | Number of registrations (fleet + retail) |
| Ford F-Series Trucks | 676,989 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 540,294 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 430,573 |
| Ram Trucks | 403,033 |
| Tesla Model Y | 394,593 |
But when you delete fleet numbers from the data and crunch only the retail registrations, the Model Y slots right behind the Ford F-Series trucks. Ford’s trucks clocked 380,685 retail registrations, while the Model Y received 375,140 registrations, falling behind by about 5,000 orders.
Numbers only tell part of the story. America still overwhelmingly loves trucks, but both the Model Y and Model 3 have been a hit across the country for years now. Several affordable EVs are on their way, and there’s no ruling out the possibility that they could climb up the sales charts in the future.
When it comes to BEV registrations, the Model 3 ranked behind its crossover sibling, followed by the Chevrolet Bolt EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model X, Rivian R1S, Ford F-150 Lightning, and the Kia EV6.
Overall, 78% of total registrations were for gas cars, hybrids accounted for 10%, battery electric vehicles 8.5%, and diesel 2.8%.
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