Interest in electric vehicles has grown among consumers considering new car purchases in the first half of this year, according to new data. Some in the industry interpret this as a sign that the prolonged EV chasm — a temporary demand plateau — is coming to an end.
Chabot Mobility, a mobility concierge platform, released its "2026 First-Half Vehicle Purchase Trend Report" on the 12th, analyzing new car quote request data received on the Chabot platform from January to June 2026.
The survey was based on quote request data from customers who actually considered purchasing vehicles in the first half. Rather than a final scorecard of the market, it more strongly reflects the direction of future consumer demand.
The most notable change is that electric vehicles are moving beyond simply being vehicles of interest to becoming actual comparison targets for purchase. In the first half of this year, EVs accounted for 17.4% of quotes on the Chabot platform. Compared with 9.9% in the same period last year, this is roughly double. In effect, about one in six new car quote requests was for an electric vehicle. Chabot said the result stems from a combination of policy factors, including the burden of fuel prices, expanded subsidies for eco-friendly vehicles, and the introduction of conversion support payments.
Among domestic electric vehicles, the model that drew the highest interest was the Kia EV3. The EV3 took first place, accounting for 35.4% of all domestic EV quotes, followed by the EV5 at 22.9%. The KGM Musso EV, Kia EV4, and Kia Ray EV each recorded 8.3% to tie for third place, while the Genesis Electrified GV70 (6.2%) and Kia PV5 (4.2%) formed the upper ranks.
Kia's electric vehicle lineup accounted for many of the top spots. The EV3 and EV5, centered on SUVs, are seen as having drawn interest from consumers considering their first EV purchase by emphasizing practicality and price competitiveness. The EV4, Ray EV, and PV5 also made the list, confirming that comparison targets are broadening to include sedans, compact EVs, and purpose-built vehicles (PBVs).
A shift in perception toward Chinese electric vehicles was also evident. The BYD Sealion 7, while its overall share is still small, tied for fourth place in the lease and rental market. This appears to reflect a consumer mindset of experiencing a new brand through leasing or renting first, taking into account residual value or maintenance burdens before purchasing.
In purchasing methods, the expansion of leasing and rentals stood out. Leases and rentals accounted for 24.0% of all quotes in the first half, up 6.6 percentage points from 17.4% in the same period last year. Amid continued economic uncertainty, this is analyzed as reflecting the spread of strategic consumption, in which consumers use financial products to lower the initial purchase burden while maintaining the value of their desired vehicle, rather than cutting consumption itself.
In the lease and rental market, the Kia Seltos recorded the highest quote share at 7.6%, followed by the Sorento Hybrid at 6.7%. The Genesis GV80 (5.9%), BMW 5 Series (5.0%), and Hyundai Palisade (4.2%) also ranked among the top. While the Seltos and Sorento Hybrid drove mass-market demand by emphasizing reasonable maintenance costs and high practicality, the GV80 and BMW 5 Series are interpreted as having absorbed demand from consumers seeking to choose a higher vehicle class while reducing the initial cost burden.
Actual EV sales also rose. According to Carisyou Data, new car registrations in the first half of this year totaled 853,969 units, up 1.3% from a year earlier. Electric vehicles saw 198,969 units sold, up 112.6% from the previous year, accounting for 23.3% of total sales. In effect, one in four new cars was an electric vehicle.
