Global electric vehicle sales reached 2.09 million units in October 2026, marking an 8% increase compared with the same month last year, according to new data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Despite a 3% month-on-month decline, the latest figures show that the global EV market continues to expand, with year-to-date sales reaching 17.5 million units.
Europe emerged as the strongest major market in October, while North America returned to annual growth for the first time in 2026. China continued to face weaker domestic demand but strengthened its position as a major exporter of electric vehicles.
The figures include both battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) across the passenger car and light-duty vehicle markets.
According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, global electric vehicle sales increased by 5% during the first ten months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
October’s 2.09 million sales represented a modest monthly slowdown following stronger activity in September. However, the return to year-on-year growth highlights continued expansion across several important markets.
Charles Lester, Data Manager at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, said Europe continued to build momentum, while North America recorded its first annual sales increase of the year.
However, the recovery in North America needs to be viewed in context. The US market has stabilised following the expiration of the federal EV tax credit, but sales remain below previous levels.
China also continues to experience pressure from weaker domestic demand, although growing exports are helping manufacturers maintain momentum.
| Region | Oct-26, million | y-o-y | m-o-m | YTD, millions | YTD-26 vs YTD-25 |
| China | 1.14 | -12% | 5% | 9.1 | -11% |
| Europe | 0.51 | 36% | -17% | 4.5 | 31% |
| North America | 0.13 | 24% | 0% | 1.3 | -21% |
| RoW | 0.30 | 85% | -2% | 2.6 | 93% |
| Global | 2.09 | 8% | -3% | 17.5 | 5% |
Europe Leads Global EV Sales Growth With a 36% Increase
Europe was one of the biggest contributors to global EV market growth in October, recording approximately 510,000 electric vehicle sales.
That represents a 36% year-on-year increase, although sales declined 17% compared with September’s record-breaking month. The monthly drop was partly expected after September’s unusually strong registrations, particularly in the UK, where the traditional September number plate change boosted new car deliveries.
More importantly, Europe’s year-on-year growth rate continues to accelerate. EV sales increased 36% in October, compared with a 31% year-to-date growth rate.
Battery-electric vehicles were the main driving force behind the expansion, with BEV sales climbing 49% year-on-year. Plug-in hybrid sales recorded a considerably smaller increase of 7%.
Germany delivered particularly strong results. EVs accounted for more than 45% of new car sales, the country’s highest penetration rate since December 2022.
German battery-electric vehicle sales increased by almost 80% year-on-year, surpassing 95,000 units. This represents a significant milestone for Europe’s largest automotive market and suggests that demand for fully electric vehicles is gaining strength.
The UK also continued to perform well, with EV sales rising 30% compared with October 2025. This growth is notable because the Electric Car Grant was already available during the same period last year, meaning the latest figures are being compared against an already supported market.
Portugal is another European market attracting attention. EV penetration reached 55% in October, placing the country among Europe’s most electrified new car markets.
Overall, Europe’s October performance suggests that the region’s electric vehicle transition is gaining momentum, particularly in markets where battery-electric models are becoming increasingly competitive.
North American EV Sales Return to Growth After a Difficult Year
North America recorded its first year-on-year increase in EV sales in 2026, with October registrations climbing 24%.
The region sold approximately 130,000 electric vehicles during the month, remaining flat compared with September. The year-to-date decline also narrowed to 21%, down from 24% at the end of September.
The United States accounted for approximately 110,000 of those sales.
However, the latest growth figures do not necessarily indicate a strong recovery in American EV demand. October was the first month compared against a period when the US federal EV tax credit was no longer available.
The federal incentive expired at the end of September 2025, triggering a significant decline in EV sales as buyers lost access to financial support.
Consequently, the return to annual growth in October 2026 is partly the result of a much weaker comparison period.
US EV sales have since stabilised, but at a lower level than before the incentive expired. This suggests that the market has adjusted to a smaller sales base rather than returned to its previous growth trajectory.
The coming months will provide a clearer indication of whether American EV demand can regain momentum without the federal tax credit.
China’s EV Market Faces Domestic Pressure as Exports Hit a New Record
China remained the world’s largest electric vehicle market in October, with sales reaching approximately 1.14 million units.
Although sales were down 12% year-on-year, the decline was smaller than September’s 18% drop. On a monthly basis, Chinese EV sales increased 5%, while the year-to-date decline narrowed to 11%.
One notable development is the growing share of electric vehicles in China’s domestic passenger car market. Even as the wider automotive market contracts, EV sales are proving more resilient, pushing their market penetration to a new high.
However, weaker domestic demand continues to create challenges for Chinese manufacturers.
Rather than significantly reducing production, automakers are increasingly relying on international markets to absorb excess supply. This strategy helped push passenger car new energy vehicle (NEV) exports to almost 600,000 units in October, setting another monthly record.
That figure represents an increase from the previous record of 558,000 units recorded in September.
Chinese manufacturers are therefore becoming increasingly dependent on overseas markets, although the export outlook could become more complicated in the coming years.
Two important policy changes are approaching in 2027. The European Union has introduced restrictions on imports of Chinese-built hybrids, while China plans to reduce its NEV export VAT rebate from 13% to 9%, effective April 1, 2027.
Both developments could affect the competitiveness and profitability of Chinese electric vehicle exports.
Nevertheless, the latest export figures demonstrate how important international markets have become for China’s EV industry.
EV Sales Surge Across Australia, Brazil and Other Emerging Markets
Outside the three largest EV regions, electric vehicle sales are expanding rapidly.
The Rest of the World category recorded approximately 300,000 EV sales in October, representing an impressive 85% year-on-year increase. For the first ten months of 2026, sales in these markets were up 93%.
Australia was among the strongest performers, with electric vehicle sales increasing by more than 200% year-on-year in October. EV penetration has also climbed considerably throughout 2026.
However, rapid sales growth is creating challenges for the Australian automotive retail sector. An increasing number of new brands, particularly Chinese manufacturers, are entering the market and competing for customers.
While greater competition provides buyers with more electric vehicle choices, it is also fragmenting sales across a growing number of brands and putting pressure on dealership profit margins.
Brazil has also experienced substantial EV market growth this year.
Several factors have contributed to the increase, including phased increases in import tariffs, higher fuel prices and the expansion of BYD’s local manufacturing operations.
The planned tariff increases encouraged manufacturers and importers to bring vehicles into the country ahead of each adjustment. Meanwhile, fuel price pressures helped make electric vehicles more attractive to Brazilian consumers.
BYD’s growing local production capacity is another important factor. Its Brazilian operations are expected to support not only the domestic market but also neighbouring markets such as Argentina and Mexico.
However, some of the factors behind Brazil’s exceptional growth may prove temporary. Once higher import tariffs are fully implemented and fuel price pressures ease, the market could experience slower expansion.
Local manufacturing is therefore expected to become increasingly important for maintaining Brazil’s EV growth in the coming years.
Global EV Market Outlook: Europe Gains Momentum as China Looks Overseas
October 2026 delivered a mixed picture for the global electric vehicle industry.
Global sales reached 2.09 million units, bringing the year-to-date total to 17.5 million. While overall growth remains positive, the performance of individual markets highlights how different factors are shaping the electric vehicle transition.
Europe is currently showing some of the strongest momentum, with Germany, the UK and Portugal delivering encouraging results. North America has returned to annual growth, although the US market remains weaker following the expiration of federal incentives.
China continues to dominate global EV sales, but slowing domestic demand is pushing manufacturers to focus more heavily on exports. Meanwhile, emerging markets such as Australia and Brazil are recording impressive growth, although maintaining that momentum could become more difficult.
The latest figures suggest that global EV adoption is continuing to expand, but the next phase of growth will depend increasingly on competitive vehicle pricing, government policies, local manufacturing and consumer demand.
With 17.5 million electric vehicles already sold during the first ten months of 2026, the global industry remains on a significant growth trajectory despite regional challenges.
