New data on electric vehicle buying patterns shows that owners are still most likely to return to another EV, but when they do move away from one, they are more likely to choose a gas-powered vehicle than a hybrid. The trend matters now because the latest return-to-market figures suggest loyalty is shifting in ways that could shape what automakers offer next. The clearest takeaway is that electric vehicle owners are not walking away from electrification in large numbers, but some are stepping toward gasoline instead of hybrids.
What the data shows
The figures come from S& P Global Mobility return-to-market data, which tracks what consumers buy when they re-enter the market. In the latest pattern described, EV owners still mostly buy another EV, even though that share fell in the second half of 2025. When those buyers did not stay in the segment, about 10% moved to hybrids, while a larger and growing share ended up in a gas-powered vehicle.
That split is important because it suggests the path away from an electric vehicle does not automatically run through hybrid ownership. The data also shows that hybrid owners behave differently: they are slightly more likely to buy an EV next than EV owners are to buy a hybrid. Fewer than 45% of hybrid owners get a traditional gas-powered vehicle next, which points to stronger loyalty to electrified powertrains among that group.
Why some buyers are moving
The article ties part of the shift to cost and to product availability in certain vehicle segments. One example is the idea that some households already have an electric vehicle in the garage, so the next purchase may be shaped by what fits a second-car role rather than by powertrain preference alone. In that setting, if a buyer wants something like an electric minivan or sports car, the available choices may be limited.
That helps explain why the market can look inconsistent. The data does not show a clean retreat from electric vehicle ownership. Instead, it shows a market where some returning buyers stay with EVs, some step into hybrids, and a meaningful number move directly to gasoline.
Electric Vehicle and hybrid loyalty
Hybrids remain a strong bridge to electrification, and the data says they are also a strong bridge back to hybrids. EV owners are still more loyal to EVs than hybrid owners are to hybrids, but hybrid owners are less likely than EV owners to end up in a gas-powered vehicle next. That makes hybrid loyalty lower overall than EV loyalty, even if the numbers still show meaningful retention in both groups.
The broader message is that the market is not moving in one straight line. A softer electric vehicle market after the cancellation mentioned in the source material appears to be changing where some customers land, but it is not erasing demand for electrified cars.
What comes next for buyers
For automakers, the practical lesson is that product coverage may matter as much as powertrain debate. The data suggests that expanding into segments that are not well served could help keep returning customers inside the electrified market. It also indicates that many buyers still like having a non-EV vehicle as a second car.
In the near term, the key question is whether manufacturers respond with more options in the gaps where buyers currently have few choices. If they do not, the latest electric vehicle data suggests some customers will keep drifting toward gas-powered vehicles instead of hybrids when they come back to the market.
