Global electric vehicle sales continued to grow in July 2026, despite major differences between the world’s largest EV markets.
According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, 1.85 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide in July 2026, representing a 9% increase compared with July 2025. Global EV sales reached 11.5 million units during the first seven months of 2026, up 4% year over year.
Europe remained the strongest major market, while China showed early signs of recovery after a weak start to the year. North America, meanwhile, continued to struggle following the removal of key U.S. federal EV incentives.
Global EV Sales in July 2026
The global EV market remains on a different trajectory depending on the region.
| Region | July 2026 Sales | YoY Change | 2026 YTD Sales | YTD YoY Change |
| China | 0.98 million | -5% | 5.9 million | -12% |
| Europe | 0.45 million | +33% | 3.0 million | +28% |
| North America | 0.14 million | -27% | 0.90 million | -18% |
| Rest of World | 0.28 million | +97% | 1.7 million | +96% |
| Global | 1.85 million | +9% | 11.5 million | +4% |
The figures highlight just how uneven the global EV transition has become. Europe and emerging markets are recording substantial growth, while China and North America are dealing with different forms of market pressure.
Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Senior EV Analyst George Whitcombe described the global market as being defined by regional divergence, with growth improving in July following a difficult start to 2026 in China and North America.
Europe Leads Global EV Growth
Europe continues to be the standout performer among the major established EV markets.
European EV sales increased 33% year over year in July, lifting cumulative 2026 sales to approximately 3 million vehicles and putting the region 28% ahead of the same period in 2025.
July sales fell 17% compared with June, but the monthly decline is largely consistent with the seasonal slowdown that affects European vehicle sales during the summer holiday period.
More importantly, EV demand remained strong across several of Europe’s largest automotive markets.
France recorded an exceptional 81% increase in EV sales in July, while EVs reached a record 37% share of the country’s total vehicle market. Germany and the UK also posted substantial annual growth, with EV sales increasing 46% and 43%, respectively.
Government incentives continue to play an important role in the European market. Several major countries have introduced or restored consumer-focused EV subsidies over the past 18 months, helping reduce the upfront cost of electric cars.
Spain’s New EV Subsidy Could Boost Sales
Spain could become an even stronger European EV market during the second half of 2026.
The country’s new Auto+ EV incentive program opened for applications on August 4. The scheme replaces the MOVES III program, which expired at the end of 2025.
Auto+ offers a maximum base subsidy of €4,500 toward a new electric passenger car, with applications eligible retroactively from January 1, 2026.
Spanish EV sales were already up 34% year to date through July. With consumers now able to formally apply for the new incentive, the market could see another increase in EV demand during the remainder of the year.
China EV Sales Begin to Recover
China remains by far the world’s largest EV market, accounting for approximately 980,000 electric vehicle sales in July.
However, July sales were still 5% below the same month last year. The result nevertheless represents an improvement from the much larger declines recorded earlier in 2026 and helped narrow China’s year-to-date decline to 12%.
China’s EV market has faced a slower start to the year, but electric vehicle penetration continues to rise.
EVs accounted for more than 50% of China’s total vehicle market during the first seven months of 2026, compared with 48% during the same period in 2025. Several individual months have already recorded EV penetration above 60%.
That means China’s EV market can continue to gain market share even when absolute vehicle sales decline.
Chinese EV Exports Hit Another Record
With domestic demand remaining challenging, Chinese automakers are increasingly looking overseas for growth.
More than 500,000 Chinese new energy vehicles were exported in July, setting another monthly record.
The growing importance of exports could reshape competition in global EV markets as Chinese manufacturers expand their presence across Europe, Southeast Asia, Latin America and other regions.
The development also highlights the contrast between China’s subdued domestic EV sales growth and the rapidly increasing international reach of its automakers.
North American EV Market Remains Under Pressure
North America was the weakest major region in July.
EV sales fell 27% year over year, leaving the region down 18% for the first seven months of 2026.
The United States is largely responsible for the deterioration. The U.S. EV market had shown signs of improvement during the second quarter, but July brought a return to much steeper annual declines.
The comparison is particularly difficult because July 2026 sales are being measured against the unusually strong period before the U.S. federal EV tax credit was removed at the end of September 2025.
During the second quarter, the U.S. market had improved considerably from the first quarter. The year-to-date decline had narrowed from 33% at the end of March to 24% at the end of June.
That improvement has now come under renewed pressure.
Canada Opens the Door to More Chinese EVs
Canada is taking a different approach to Chinese-made electric vehicles.
The country has begun allocating permits under an agreement allowing a limited number of EVs manufactured in China to enter Canada at a substantially lower tariff rate than the previous 100% surtax.
The first year of the agreement provides a quota of 49,000 electric vehicles, divided into two six-month allocation periods.
More than half of the first 24,500 permits had already been allocated by early August, including 2,400 permits during the first week of the month.
The policy could give Canadian consumers access to a wider selection of lower-cost EVs while increasing competition in the country’s electric vehicle market.
Global EV Market Heads Into a Crucial Second Half
The July figures show that global electric vehicle demand remains resilient, but growth is increasingly dependent on local policies, incentives and market conditions.
Europe is currently leading the major markets, with EV subsidies and regulatory policies supporting strong growth. China is showing signs of recovery while its automakers continue expanding exports. North America faces a more difficult environment following changes to U.S. EV incentives.
The 11.5 million EVs sold globally through July 2026 already represent a 4% increase over the same period last year. With several European markets accelerating and emerging markets recording particularly rapid growth, global EV sales could continue building momentum through the remainder of 2026.
At the same time, the diverging performance between regions demonstrates that the global transition to electric vehicles is no longer moving at the same pace everywhere.
For automakers, battery manufacturers and consumers, the second half of 2026 could provide an important indication of whether the current slowdown in some markets is temporary—or the beginning of a more fundamental shift in global EV demand.
