本月早些时候，南加州一家福特汽车经销店的二手车销售员尼古拉斯·贝扎（Nicholas Beiza）接到了一位神学教授的电话，对方有意购买一辆新车。
这位拜欧拉大学的学者正在选购新车，因为他的房屋看管人将其福特翼虎SUV撞毁了。
贝萨并未向这位教授客户提供新车，而是卖给他一辆二手福特野马Mach-E电动跑车，里程表显示已行驶5.5万英里。贝萨亲自将这辆价值2.5万美元的汽车开到教授家中，并将钥匙交给了他。
贝萨表示：“他多年前曾拥有一辆野马汽车，如今对再购一辆兴趣浓厚，最终因油价问题选择了电动车。”
随着电动汽车销量以两位数的速度增长，该地区各经销商都观察到了类似的趋势。
汽车专家指出，由于美国与伊朗的战争导致供应紧张，许多司机希望减少昂贵的汽油加注，这推动了需求。同时，大量租赁的电动汽车帮助购车者避开了售价5万美元以上的新车型。去年秋天到期的联邦激励措施催生了另一类二手电动汽车买家，他们在经济不稳定的情况下抢购车辆，以免错过优惠。
一位二手电动汽车买家描述了一种“K型”趋势，即消费者根据自身预算（无论高低）来选购车辆。
克莱尔蒙特市居民蒂姆·蒂平（Tim Tipping）在联邦政府为二手电动车提供的4000美元税收抵免政策到期前——即2025年9月30日最后期限——购买了一辆二手2023款雪佛兰Bolt电动车。
蒂平表示："我一直想买辆电动车，但觉得买不起全新的。当我看到这是退税政策实施的最后一个月时，就开始考虑二手车了，希望能以低于2万美元的价格入手。"
蒂平表示，自伊朗战争爆发以来，他还购买了四辆电动自行车，用于与家人一起在社区周边工作和休闲出行。"我买这些车完全是因为战争。"
二手车销售中的电动汽车数据印证了经销商早已观察到的趋势。
汽车数据公司Mobility Global向《南加州新闻集团》提供的二手电动车数据显示，预计2025年该州注册量将达到142,649辆，今年同比增长20%。2026年的预测基于今年前五个月的销售数据，但未考虑经济进一步动荡或税收抵免等可变因素——这些都可能影响实际销量。
数据显示，全州范围内的销售增速略高于同期全国18%的水平。
“库存量增加了，消费者也表现出兴趣，”Mobility Global旗下AutoIntelligence的副总监斯蒂芬妮·布林利（Stephanie Brinley）表示，“二手车市场的规模比以往任何时候都要大。”
数据显示，到2026年，加州的新能源汽车销量预计将较去年水平骤降22%，而同期全美销量预计将下滑25%。
另一项市场指标是考克斯汽车公司（Cox Automotive）发布的曼海姆二手电动汽车价值指数，该指数追踪了通过批发拍卖售予经销商的二手电动汽车数量。该指数在6月份同比上涨了12.3%。
数据显示，6月二手纯电动汽车的平均挂牌价格为38,342美元，环比5月上涨3.5%，同比上涨7%。这一价格上涨趋势覆盖多个品牌，包括特斯拉、雪佛兰、现代和起亚等量产主力车型。需注意的是，该统计范畴不包含混合动力汽车——这类车型通常通过内燃机与电池驱动电机协同工作以实现最佳燃油效率。
加州与美国的新车市场情况截然不同。
混合动力汽车销量激增，今年上半年在加州新车市场的占比达到历史新高。根据加州新车经销商协会的数据，22.1%的市场份额较2025年全年的19.5%有所上升。
加州新车经销商协会（CNCDA）7月20日报告显示，尽管2026年前六个月加州整体新车市场下滑7.7%，全美市场下跌2.8%，但这一增长份额仍相当可观。由于联邦税收抵免政策取消，2026年上半年新型零排放车辆（包括纯电动、插电混动及燃料电池车）注册量同比骤降近25%。
政府希望通过名为"MyFirstEV"的返利计划刺激新能源汽车购买热潮，此举有望增加零排放汽车（ZEV）销量，并随着消费者置换车辆，未来将进一步推动二手车市场繁荣。
加利福尼亚州的"我的首辆电动车"计划为首次购买零排放汽车（ZEV）的消费者提供3,500美元的即时返利，购买售价低于25,000美元的二手电动车首次购车者可获得1,750美元补贴。这项2.7亿美元的联合计划由州政府出资1.355亿美元，13家参与车企按1:1比例配资，将于今年夏末启动。
根据美国能源部替代燃料数据中心的资料，其他州也在尝试类似的激励计划，包括科罗拉多州、新泽西州、纽约州和俄勒冈州。
随着联邦电动汽车税收抵免政策于2025年9月30日到期（该政策根据去年通过的《宏大美丽法案》被取消），二手车市场对电动车的购买兴趣首次出现升温。这项废除措施终止了高达7500美元的新车抵免和4000美元的二手车抵免——蒂平正是利用后者购置了他的Bolt电动车。
OC汽车集团所有者兼总裁约翰·帕特森表示：“我认为去年第四季度（10月）初资金撤离后市场陷入停滞，但随着油价持续上涨，尤其是在加利福尼亚州，人们对电动汽车——主要是3万美元以下的二手电动车——的需求有所增加。”该集团在奥兰治县拥有五家起亚、马自达和现代汽车经销店。
帕特森表示："2025年第四季度和2026年第一季度期间，我们旗下门店的二手电动车销量几乎为零，或者寥寥无几。如今这个数字已经增长到原来的四倍，甚至更多。"他补充道："我们没预料到战争会持续这么久，这无疑推高了加利福尼亚州的油价，其涨幅是其他地区所未见的。就二手电动车市场而言，我们正处在一个特殊时期。"
麦克皮克安纳海姆克莱斯勒道奇吉普和RAM经销店的总经理斯图尔特·本杰明（Stewart Benjamin）表示，二手电动汽车的销量也出现了小幅增长。
他的经销商曾销售插电式混合动力吉普SUV和克莱斯勒小型货车，直到母公司斯特兰蒂斯集团因电动汽车销量放缓而停产这些车型。
本杰明表示：“我们注意到二手电动汽车的需求正在上升。消费者倾向于购买价格在2.5万至2.9万美元区间的车型，这正是二手电动车最受欢迎的价格带。虽然我们库存有过几辆特斯拉，但它们销售速度远超传统燃油车。毫无疑问，二手电动车是目前市场上最紧俏的车型，所有人都想入手。”
尽管大型经销商对市场普遍持乐观态度，但小型家庭式车商仍显得悲观。
河滨市弗拉特洛克路Lux Automotive汽车店的老板克里斯·卢塞罗表示，联邦税收抵免政策的取消对他的生意造成了打击。
卢塞罗表示："在税收抵免政策到期前，我每月能卖出四五辆二手电动车。政策取消后，每三个月才能卖出一辆。作为小型经销商，随着信贷收紧，从金融渠道开展销售已经变得不可能。"
卢塞罗表示，由于销售困难，他正在缩减其二手车和电动汽车经销店的规模。他将销售放缓归咎于受通货膨胀和油价飙升冲击的疲软经济。
过去一年里，我每月能卖出20至25辆二手车（包括电动车）。但现在每辆车都要积压三到五个月。自战争爆发以来，情况更加恶化。我并未完全停业，而是转向商用车队卡车销售领域，希望这一转变能带来转机。
Used car salesman Nicholas Beiza got a call earlier this month at a Southern California Ford dealership from a theology professor looking to buy a new car.
The Biola University academic was car shopping after his house-sitter totaled his Ford Escape SUV.
Instead of putting his customer in a new car, Beiza sold the professor a used one a sporty, all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E with 55,000 miles on the odometer. Beiza drove the $25,000 car over to the professors home and handed him the keys.
He previously owned a Mustang long time ago and was super-interested in getting another one, and settled on an EV because of gas prices, Beiza said.
Dealerships across the region are seeing a similar trend unfolding as electric vehicle buying rises at a double-digit clip.
Auto experts cite demand from drivers who want to cut out pricey gas fill-ups due to tight supplies caused by the U.S. war with Iran, and 02 a flood of leased EV vehicles helping car shoppers steer clear from new models selling for $50,000 or more. Last falls expiring federal incentives created another class of used EV buyers who rushed to buy something before the deals went away in a wobbly economy.
One used EV shopper described a K-shaped trend where consumers are buying a vehicle based on their budgets, big and small.
Tim Tipping, a resident of Claremont, bought a used 2023 Chevy Bolt on the last day that the $4,000 federal tax credit was offered Sept. 30, 2025 for used EVs before it expired.
I always wanted an EV, and I didnt think I could afford a brand new one, Tipping said. When I saw that it was the last month the rebate would be offered, I started looking at the used ones. I wanted to get one at under $20,000.
Tipping said that since the Iran war began, hes also bought four e-bikes to travel around his neighborhood for work and recreation with his family. I bought them 100% because of the war.
The EV data for used vehicle sales supports what dealerships already are seeing.
Mobility Global, an automotive data company, provided used EV data to the Southern California News Group showing a forecast of 20% growth this year over the states 142,649 registrations in 2025. The 2026 forecast is based on sales figures for the first five months of the year. It does not include extenuating circumstances like further disruptions to the economy, or tax credits all of which could sway how much is really sold.
Statewide, sales are happening slightly faster than the 18% rate seen nationally over the same period, according to the data.
Youve got more inventory, and people are interested, said Stephanie Brinley, associate director of Mobility Globals AutoIntelligence. The used market is much larger than ever.
Meanwhile, new EV sales are projected to plummet 22% in 2026 over last years levels in California, while nationwide sales are expected to decline 25% over the same period, the data shows.
Yet another indicator of the market is02 Cox Automotives Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index for EVs which tracks how many used EV vehicles have been sold at wholesale auctions to dealerships. The index jumped 12.3% in June on a year-over-year basis.
The average listing price for a used, all battery-powered EV was $38,342 in June , up 3.5% from May and 7% year-over-year, according to the index. The bullish pricing was broad-based, including several high-volume brands manufactured by Tesla, Chevrolet, Hyundai and Kia.02 This category does not include hybrid cars which typically use an internal combustion engine and a battery-powered electric motor to maximize fuel efficiency.
The story is markedly different for new cars in California and the U.S.
Hybrid sales are booming, having reached their highest share on record in Californias new vehicle market in the first six months of the year. The 22.1% share is up from 19.5% for all of 2025, according to the California New Car Dealers Association.
Thats a significant chunk of growth to claim since Californias overall new car market fell 7.7% through the first six months of 2026, while the U.S. market fell 2.8%, according to CNCDAs July 20 report. Registrations for new zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) like electric-, plug-in hybrid-electric and fuel-cell electric vehicles fell nearly 25% in the first half of 2026, compared with the same year-ago period due to the loss of last years federal tax credits.
The state hopes to spark a turn around in new EV car-buying with a rebate program, MyFirstEV, that could lead to more ZEV sales and further boost the used vehicle market down the road as consumers trade-in their cars.
Californias MyFirstEV program provides a $3,500 instant rebate for first-time ZEV buyers, and $1,750 for first time buyers of a used EV that sells for less than $25,000. The $270 million joint initiative is funded by $135.5 million from the state and matched dollar-for-dollar by 13 participating automakers. It launches later this summer .
Other states are trying similar incentive programs, including Colorado, New Jersey, New York and Oregon, according to the Energy Departments Alternative Fuels Data Center .
The first wave of buying interest in used EVs began to emerge when federal electric vehicle tax credits expired Sept. 30, 2025, following their elimination under last years One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The repeal ended the up to $7,500 new vehicle credit and the $4,000 used vehicle credit which is what Tipping tapped to buy his Bolt.
I think that the market stalled after the money went away at the beginning of quarter four (October) of last year, but as gas prices continue to rise, especially here in California, the desire for EVs primarily for pre-owned EVs under $30,000 has increased, said John Patterson, owner and president of OC Auto Group and its five Kia, Mazda and Hyundai dealerships in Orange County.
Between my stores, we were selling zero EVs used, or very few in the fourth quarter (2025) and first quarter of 2026. Its now increased four times that amount, if not more, he said. I dont think we were expecting the war to go on like it has, and certainly thats impacted our gas prices here in California at a level that we dont see elsewhere, Patterson said. For used EVs, its a unique place were in.
Stewart Benjamin, general manager of McPeek Anaheim Chrysler Dodge Jeep and RAM dealership, also is seeing02 modest growth in used EV sales.
His dealership once sold plug-in hybrid electric Jeep SUVs and Chrysler minivans until parent automaker Stellantis scrapped them amid the new EV sales slowdown.
Were seeing higher demand on used EV cars. People want to get one from $25,000 to $29,000. Thats our sweet spot for used EVs, Benjamin said.02 Weve had a couple of Teslas, but they pretty much sell faster than the (internal combustion engine) cars. Without question, the used EVs are not the easiest cars to come by. Everybody wants them.
Still, even with all of the optimism about the market from big dealers, mom-and-pop lots are sounding downbeat.
Chris Lucero, owner of Lux Automotive along Flat Rock Road in Riverside, said that the loss of the federal tax credit hurt his business.
I was selling four to five used EVs a month before the tax credit expired, Lucero said. After it went away, I sell one every three months. Im a smaller dealership, so it became impossible to do sales on the finance side as credit tightened.
Lucero said that hes downsizing his used car and EV dealership because sales are difficult. He blames the slowdown on a limp economy buffeted by inflation and soaring gas prices.
I was making 20 to 25 used car sales (including EVs) a month over the past year. Now Im having every car sit three to five months. It has worsened since the war. Im not shutting down completely, but moving in a different direction toward commercial fleet truck sales, hoping its better.
