Battery-electric vehicles accounted for a 21.7% share of all new car registrations in the European Union in the first eight months of 2026, according to new data from the Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
Overall, new car registrations increased by 5.3% during the period, with some 1.64 million new battery-electric cars registered. Over the same period last year, battery-electric vehicles accounted for a 15.8% share of all new registrations.
Hybrid-electric vehicles led the way during the first eight months of 2026, accounting for 36.6% of registrations, while plug-in hybrids represented 10%. Elsewhere, the combined share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 29%, down from 37.5% a year earlier.
‘New EU car registrations increased by 5.3% year-to-date, against a backdrop of rising energy prices and persistent geopolitical uncertainty,’ the ACEA said in a statement. ‘Demand for a range of electrified vehicles remained strong, driven by market support measures and a broader model offering.’
Country by country
Battery-electric vehicle registrations increased in three of Europe‘s four largest markets, which together accounted for just under two thirds of all BEV registrations. France reported a year-on-year increase of 74.2% in BEV registrations, followed by Germany (+53.1%), and Denmark (+40.9%).
Hybrid-electric vehicle registrations were led by Spain, which reported year-on-year growth of 21%, followed by Italy (+20.5%), with Germany (+5.2%) and France (+1.8%) also recording more moderate increases.
Plug-in hybrid registrations, which accounted for a 10% share of the EU market, reported the biggest increase in registrations in Italy (+77.6%), followed by Spain (+33.9%), and Germany (+15.6%).
Petrol and diesel
In contrast to the growth in EVs, registrations of new petrol vehicles were down 18.6% in the first eight months of2026, with France reporting a 35.8% fall, with other major markets such as Spain (-18.5%), Germany (-21.9%), and Italy (-16.7%) also seeing double-digit declines.
Petrol cars accounted for 21.7% of new EU registrations in the January to August period, down from 28% a year earlier.
Elsewhere, diesel registrations also fell by 18.6%, leaving diesel with a 7.3% market share, compared with 9.4% in the corresponding period a year earlier. Read more here.
