On the Dash: - Hybrids hit 16.80% of new vehicle financing in Q2, up from 12.99% last year - Hybrid loans carry the lowest average monthly payment at $646, beating EVs and gas vehicles - Refinancing saved consumers $83 a month on average as rates declined According to Experian‘s State of the Automotive Finance Market Report, hybrid vehicles accounted for 16.80% of new vehicle financing in the second quarter of 2026, up from 12.99% a year earlier, while EV market share fell over the same period, dropping to 8.15% from 9.21%. The report highlights that the shift is driven by ongoing gas price pressures on household budgets. Hybrids had the lowest average monthly payment among new loans at $646, followed by EVs at $692, and gasoline vehicles at $721. For new leases, hybrids again had the lowest payments, averaging $566, compared to $602 for gas vehicles and $641 for EVs. Melinda Zabritski, Experian’s head of Automotive Financial Insights, pointed to the expiration of the federal EV tax credit as a factor pushing buyers toward hybrids, stating, “With the EV tax credit expiring last year, hybrids seemingly have become a more attractive option for consumers, particularly for those looking to save some money at the pump,” Zabritski said in a company statement. The trend also aligns with sales data reported earlier this summer, as NADA’s June Market Beat report showed hybrid sales increased to 19.4% in the first half of 2026 and EV sales fell 25.1% over the same span. Meanwhile, JD Power’s July forecast projected hybrids would account for 15.9% of retail sales that month, up 2.5 percentage points from a year earlier, as the end of the federal tax credit continued to reshape buyer behavior. Notably, broader market data showed rising costs for new-vehicle buyers overall. Since the average