auto dealer in black and red logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

EV Supply Growing Faster than Demand

Cox Automotive says it's soared 350% while consumers put off EV purchases over pricing and charging concerns.

July 10, 2023
EV Supply Growing Faster than Demand

Cox Automotive suggests EV sales will pick up as the public charging network grows.

Credit:

Pexels

2 min to read


 

 

The auto industry is producing more electric vehicles, but a lack of buyers is a growing issue.

The EV industry is experiencing a supply and demand mismatch, which shows that although people are more interested in purchasing EVs, they are holding back because of concerns over pricing and charging.

The stock of electric vehicles available nationwide has increased by almost 350% this year, reaching over 92,000 units. That represents a 92-day supply, or roughly three months’ worth of EVs and nearly twice the industry average, according to Cox.

By comparison, dealers have around a 54-day supply of gasoline-powered vehicles in inventory. A 70-day supply is common for ICE vehicles, but inventory challenges have kept supply low.

It’s not all gloom and doom. Cox Automotive predicts that electric vehicle sales, currently representing 6.5% of U.S. auto sales in 2021, will exceed one million units this year for the first time.

And the results of a recent Cox survey show 51% of consumers are considering purchasing either a new or used EV, up from 38% in 2021. Fueling their interest are 33 new EV 2023 models and over 50 new or updated models for 2024, notes Cox.

Cox reports some brands are seeing higher EV inventories than others. For example, Genesis has 210 EVs in stock nationwide — a 350-day supply. Audi’s Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron and the GMC Hummer EV SUV have inventories well over 100 days.

Cox Automotive suggests a few reasons for the trends:

  1. Tesla's price-cutting strategy may be taking a toll.

  2. Higher priced EVs, such as the Audi Q4 e-tron, do not qualify for tax credits.

  3. Consumers are choosing a hybrid vehicle as a stepping stone to EVs. Cox Automotive reports a 44-day supply of hybrids industrywide, with Toyota supply dipping under 30 days each for Prius and RAV4 hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

As more charging stations are installed and EV prices fall, Cox predicts sales will pick up. Bank of America Securities auto analyst John Murphy predicts that EV prices will be on par with gasoline vehicles by 2025.

More Dealer Ops

Two professionals shake hands while exchanging a car key fob beside a vehicle, symbolizing a vehicle sale, lease agreement, or dealership transaction.
SponsoredJuly 8, 2026

How Defection Data is Bridging the Dealership Conversion Gap

Lead volume is flat, cross-shopping is up and brand loyalty is in retreat. As confident sales teams keep losing buyers they thought they had, daily industry sales data is showing dealers exactly where their funnel is breaking and how to fix it without buying a single new lead.

Read More →
Auto Dealer Today, Dealer Debrief, 07/02/2026 with Lauren Lawrence
Dealer Opsby Lauren LawrenceJuly 2, 2026

Dealer Debrief: Where are you losing customers?

In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence discusses the hidden leaks in dealerships where you might be losing customers without even realizing it.

Read More →
Auto Dealer Today, Dealer Debrief, 06/25/2026, with Lauren Lawrence
Dealer Opsby Lauren LawrenceJune 26, 2026

Dealer Debrief: Improving Your Inventory Management

In this week's debrief, host Lauren Lawrence covers a new survey that shows what service technicians really want and two launches that could help improve your inventory and vehicle life cycle management.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
group of people standing in a circle holding puzzle pieces together
Dealer OpsJune 1, 2026

Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is a Dealership: Why the Fundamentals Still Decide Who Wins

A teaching moment by a legendary football coach happens to apply perfectly in the auto retail space. Learn what it is and how to use it to your store’s advantage.

Read More →
Cover image for a BOK Financial report titled “Timing the market: How avoiding volatility entirely can hurt long-term reinsurance program performance.” The image shows several road construction barricades with flashing amber warning lights lined up in a nighttime work zone. Beneath the image, red text explains that avoiding volatility can mean falling behind inflation and missing market rebounds that drive long-term surplus growth. The BOK Financial logo appears at the bottom right.
SponsoredMay 8, 2026

What Market Timing Mistakes Mean for Your Reinsurance Program

When volatility hits, dealer-owned reinsurance programs face a familiar temptation: pull back and wait for calmer waters. New data from BOK Financial shows why that instinct can quietly cost you years of surplus growth.

Read More →
two cars on a billboard, No Hidden Fees
ComplianceMay 1, 2026

Dealer Ads and the FTC

The agency has made it clear in recent enforcement actions and warnings, in auto retail and other industries, that advertised prices must include all nonoptional costs to the consumer.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Closeup of white car's headlight, front end
Dealer Opsby Hannah MitchellApril 17, 2026

Used Autos Supply Dwindles

The March shopping surge, despite high prices, cut into inventory by the most since the thick of the pandemic, Cox Automotive analysts calculated.

Read More →
hands making protective frame over red car, Risk Reality Check, Be Proactive, Auto Dealer Today logo
Dealer OpsApril 1, 2026

Managing Risk Effectively Through Changing Times

The variables influencing risk pricing have changed significantly over the past five years. Being proactive and responsive to emerging trends is not optional but essential.

Read More →
Car key, stacks of coins, and a paper car cutout with AutoPayPlus logo, representing auto financing, loan terms, and vehicle affordability trends.
Dealer Opsby StaffMarch 31, 2026

Survey Reveals What Won't Fix What's Breaking Car Sales

AutoPayPlus says extra-long auto loans are trapping consumers and threatening the dealer trade-in cycle, and that the industry is leveraging the wrong tools to combat high MSRPs.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Headshots of two male executives
Dealer Opsby StaffMarch 24, 2026

IA American Appoints Two Execs

Senior vice presidents of the company's agent and dealer channels chosen to support general agents and help auto dealers with sales and performance.

Read More →