Global sales of electric vehicles totalled 1.83 million units in August 2026, a 2% increase on the same month a year ago, according to new data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
In the year to date, some 13.4 million EVs were sold worldwide, which is 4% higher than for the same period last year.
Commenting on the findings, Charles Lester, data manager at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, said that a “deepening contraction” in North America offset “continued double-digit growth in Europe and an improving picture in China”.
European sales
On a regional basis, Europe was the top performer in August, with EV sales rising by more than a third (36%) year-on-year to 380,000 units. However, sales were down 15% compared to the previous month.
France, Germany and the UK together accounted for more than half of the EV sales in Europe in August, with France reporting an EV penetration rate of 41%. Elsewhere, Spain opened up the new Auto+ subsidy scheme for applications, which provides a maximum base subsidy of €4,500 for a new electric vehicle.
“The continued strength of subsidy-backed demand in the region’s major markets pushed year-to-date growth up to 29%, from 28% at the end of July,” Lester commented.
China penetration
China recorded 1.03 million EV sales in August, a 11% year-on-year decline, but 4% higher than in the previous month. EV penetration in China’s passenger car market remained above 60% for the fourth consecutive month.
Benchmark said the annual decline partly reflected a stronger comparison with August 2025 rather than a new deterioration in demand.
Exports continued to rise for Chinese manufacturers, with new energy vehicle exports increasing by more than 150% year-on-year to around 518,000 units in August, a monthly record.
North America
Elsewhere, North American EV sales fell 33% year-on-year in August to 140,000 units, meaning the region is down 21% in the year to date. This was largely driven by the expiration of the federal EV tax credit in the US last year.
“North America’s contraction deepened further in August, with sales down 33% year-on-year, the steepest decline of the year so far,” said Lester. “As in July, this is a function of the market being compared against the pre-expiration buying rush seen in the US in August 2025, in the final weeks before the federal EV tax credit was removed at the end of September 2025, rather than a sign of a sudden new drop in demand.”
Finally, sales in the rest of the world reached 290,000 units in August, up 97% year-on-year. Read more here.
Snapshot Electric Vehicle Sales YTD 2026 (Jan–Aug 2026)
| Region | Aug-26 (million) | y-o-y | m-o-m | YTD (millions) | YTD-26 vs YTD-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 1.03 | -11% | 4% | 6.9 | -12% |
| Europe | 0.38 | 36% | -15% | 3.3 | 29% |
| North America | 0.14 | -33% | 5% | 1.0 | -21% |
| RoW | 0.29 | 97% | 0% | 2.0 | 97% |
| Global | 1.83 | 2% | -1% | 13.4 | 4% |
Source: Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
