AM/FM Radio Leads In-Car Listening Among EV Users

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | 2:22pm CT

Edison Research at SSRS

AM/FM radio continues to account for the largest share of in-car audio listening among Americans, including electric vehicle (EV) drivers and passengers, although its share is notably lower among EV users, according to new findings from Edison Research's Share of Ear study.

The research, presented during a recent webinar for Share of Ear subscribers, found that Americans ages 13 and older spend an average of one hour and four minutes per day listening to audio in vehicles. In-car listening represents more than one-quarter of total daily audio consumption.

Among the overall U.S. population ages 13 and older, AM/FM radio accounts for 53% of in-car audio listening time. That figure declines to 42% among people whose primary vehicle is an EV, an 11-percentage-point difference.

Despite the decline, traditional radio remains the leading audio platform in electric vehicles, ahead of streaming music, satellite radio and podcasts.

Streaming music accounts for 17% of in-car audio time among the overall population, increasing to 22% among EV drivers and passengers. SiriusXM also gains share among EV users, rising from 16% of listening time in the overall population to 20% among those whose primary vehicle is electric.

Podcast listening shows an even larger relative difference, with EV users devoting twice the share of their in-car audio time to podcasts compared with the general population. The release did not provide specific percentages for podcast listening.

Other audio platforms maintained relatively consistent listening shares across the two groups.

The findings underscore the continued importance of the automobile to broadcast radio while highlighting differences in audio consumption among EV users. Although AM/FM radio retains the largest share of listening time in electric vehicles, streaming music, satellite radio and podcasts collectively account for a greater portion of listening than they do among the overall driving population.