New car registrations across the European Union rose 4% year-to-date through May 2026, with demand for electrified vehicles continuing to reshape the region’s automotive market.
Despite persistent geopolitical uncertainty weighing on the wider economic outlook, buyers across key European markets continued to respond positively to electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. Revised tax policies and incentive schemes also helped support demand for electrified vehicles.
Hybrid-electric cars remained the EU’s most popular powertrain, while battery-electric vehicles reached a major milestone by accounting for one in five new registrations.
Battery-Electric Cars Take 20% of EU Market
A total of 950,521 new battery-electric cars were registered in the EU during the first five months of 2026. Battery-electric vehicles captured a 20% market share, up from 15.3% during the same period last year.
Growth was particularly strong in three of the EU’s four largest electric vehicle markets. Italy recorded the biggest increase, with battery-electric registrations rising 75.7%. France followed with growth of 55.4%, while Germany posted a 40.9% increase.
Together, Italy, France and Germany represented 63% of all battery-electric car registrations in the EU. Belgium saw more modest growth, with registrations increasing by 2.8%.
The figures underline the accelerating shift toward fully electric cars, even as affordability, charging infrastructure and policy stability remain key issues for the sector.
Hybrid Cars Remain the Top Choice
Hybrid-electric vehicles continued to lead the EU market, accounting for 37.8% of all new car registrations through May.
Registrations reached 1,795,071 units in the first five months of 2026. Italy and Spain were major contributors, with hybrid registrations increasing by 24.5% and 19.5%, respectively. Germany also grew by 5.4%, while France posted a 2.2% increase.
The continued popularity of hybrids highlights the role of transitional electrified technologies in Europe’s move away from conventional combustion-engine vehicles.
Plug-In Hybrid Sales Continue to Rise
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle registrations also recorded solid growth, reaching 460,217 units year-to-date through May.
PHEV registrations rose sharply in Italy, up 84.9%, while Spain saw growth of 46.5%. Germany also posted a 16.1% increase.
Plug-in hybrids represented 9.7% of total EU new car registrations, compared with 8.3% during the same period in 2025.
Combined, battery-electric cars, hybrids and plug-in hybrids accounted for more than two-thirds of the EU’s new car market during the first five months of 2026.
Petrol and Diesel Cars Continue Their Decline
Petrol and diesel models continued to lose ground as electrified powertrains gained market share.
Petrol car registrations fell 18.2% across the EU through May. France recorded the steepest decline, with petrol registrations dropping 36.8%. Sales also fell sharply in Spain, down 20.3%, Germany, down 18.5%, and Italy, down 17.3%.
A total of 1,065,071 petrol cars were registered in the EU during the first five months of the year. Petrol’s market share dropped to 22.4%, compared with 28.5% a year earlier.
Diesel registrations declined by 16.6%, although the pace of decline was slightly slower than petrol. Diesel cars accounted for 7.6% of new EU registrations, down from 9.5% in the same period of 2025.
The combined share of petrol and diesel vehicles fell to 30.1%, compared with 38% a year earlier, marking another major step in Europe’s transition toward electrified mobility.
[source: ACEA]
