Toyota sold over 10,000 electric bZ SUVs in the first three months of 2026, beating out GM’s top-selling Chevy Equinox EV.
Toyota bZ electric SUV sales surge 78% in Q1 2026
Toyota’s electric SUV is outselling “America’s most affordable 315+ mile range EV,” as GM calls it, the Chevy Equinox EV?
With another 4,019 sold last month, Toyota bZ sales reached 10,029 in the first three months of 2026, an increase of 78.8% from Q1 2025.
GM reported earlier today that it had sold 9,589 Chevy Equinox EVs in the first quarter, down 7.2% from the previous year and slightly less than the bZ.
The Chevy Equinox was a hit last year, ranking third in US EV sales behind just the Tesla Model Y and Model 3, while Toyota’s electric SUV didn’t even make the top 10.
Even the RZ, Lexus’ electric SUV, saw considerably higher demand, with sales up 206% in Q1 to 4,456 units. That’s more than the Cadillac Lyriq (3,370), Optiq (2,847), Vistiq (1,902), and Escalade IQ (1,432) electric SUVs.
How did Toyota turn things around? The bZ received significant improvements over Toyota’s previous bZ4X, with a longer driving range (now up to 314 miles), a 25% increase.
The electric SUV also features a built-in NACS port to recharge at Tesla Superchargers, making it much easier to find public charging. Toyota’s new electric SUV can recharge from 10% to 80% in around 30 minutes.
Toyota also updated the interior with its latest design theme. The setup now includes a larger 14″ Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen, wireless phone chargers, and a refined dashboard.
A 7″ driver cluster, heated front and rear seats, regenerative braking, and Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 are included as standard.
| 2026 Toyota bZ trim | Battery | Range | Starting Price* |
| XLE FWD | 57.7 kWh | 236 miles | $34,900 |
| XLE FWD Plus | 74.7 kWh | 314 miles | $37,900 |
| XLE AWD | 74.7 kWh | 288 miles | $39,900 |
| Limited FWD | 74.7 kWh | 299 miles | $43,300 |
| Limited AWD | 74.7 kWh | 278 miles | $45,300 |
The base 2026 Toyota bZ XLE FWD trim starts at just $34,900. However, if you want the longer-range variant with up to 314 miles, prices start at $37,900. The 2026 Chevy Equinox EV starts at $34,995 with 319 miles range.
Electrek’s Take
To be fair, GM does offer several more EV options than Toyota. Apart from the Equinox, Chevy alone sells the Blazer, Silverado, and the new Bolt EVs.
Toyota now has three electric SUVs on sale in the US: the 2026 bZ, C-HR, and bZ Woodland. Later this year, the three-row Highlander BEV will join Toyota’s lineup.
While it’s still early, Toyota’s bZ is now among the most popular electric vehicles in the US. With the C-HR and bZ Woodland now at dealerships, will they see the same demand? It will be interesting to see where the sales rankings end up at the end of 2026.
Will Toyota’s electric SUV stay ahead? Let us know your thoughts below.
With the new electric SUVs arriving at dealerships, Toyota is offering up to $7,000 in discounts and 0% APR financing to kick things off. If you want to see one for yourself, we can help you get started. You can find local deals on the 2026 Toyota bZ, C-HR, bZ Woodland, and Chevy Equinox EV using the links below.
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