EU new registrations: Electric cars reach almost 20 percent market share

The European passenger car market continued to grow in the first four months of 2026. According to figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), new registrations in the EU in the period January to April increased by 4.2 percent compared to the previous year. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for a market share of 19.7 percent, up from 15.3 percent in the same period in 2025.

According to a press release from the lobby group for the European automotive industry, ACEA, the growth was primarily driven by “strong consumer demand for a range of electrified technologies.” New and revised tax benefits and incentive schemes in the major European countries also supported the development. At the same time, the association warns of “ongoing geopolitical factors that are heightening uncertainty and downside risks.”

In absolute terms, 746,899 new BEVs were registered in the EU by the end of April. The three largest of the four most important EU markets recorded strong growth: Italy increased by 73.1 percent, France by 48.2 percent, and Germany by 41.3 percent. Only Belgium saw a marginal increase of 1.1 percent. Together, these four markets account for 64 percent of all new BEV registrations in the EU.

However, hybrid vehicles without external charging (HEVs) remain the most popular type of powertrain, with a market share of 38.2 percent and 1,447,864 new registrations. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) increased their market share to 9.6 percent, up from 7.9 percent in the previous year's period. Their growth was particularly strong in Italy, with an increase of 99.2 percent.

Combustion engines lose significantly

The combined market share of cars with solely Otto and diesel engines has drastically decreased in the comparison period: from 38.1 percent to just 30.2 percent. Petrol cars accounted for 854,843 new registrations (22.5 percent market share), with registration numbers declining by double digits in all major markets. France recorded a decrease of 36.6 percent, Spain 18.6 percent, Italy 18 percent, and Germany 17.2 percent. Diesel vehicles also saw further losses with a decrease of 16.1 percent and now hold a market share of 7.7 percent.

ACEA sees fragile growth

The association cautiously assesses the positive figures. ACEA describes the 4.2 percent increase as a recovery that, however, strongly depends on political framework conditions. Without the incentive instruments for electrified powertrains, the growth would have been significantly weaker, as the association had already emphasized in connection with a downwardly revised BEV forecast for 2025 at the end of 2024. At that time, analyses had lowered the expected BEV market share for 2025 from 27 to 21 percent.

ACEA does not publish specific forecasts for the entire year 2026 in the current announcement. However, the association points out that trade conflicts, energy price risks, and uncertainties in the international environment could burden the further course of the year. The continuation of the growth trend depends significantly on whether incentive programs remain in place and whether charging infrastructure and competitive electricity prices for charging can be secured. A strong March also contributed disproportionately to the positive overall picture, making the trend susceptible to disruptions.

For Germany, the figures show a clear shift in the powertrain mix: while BEV registrations increased by 41.3 percent and plug-in hybrids grew by 17.6 percent, registrations for combustion engines collapsed by 17.2 percent. This is a trend that is likely to continue in the long term and is already affecting suppliers specializing in combustion engines.

(fpi)