In Q1 2026, new EU car registrations increased by 4%, driven largely by March’s strong performance.
The market was supported by robust consumer activity bolstered by new and revised tax benefits and incentive schemes across major European countries – see further details in Electric cars: Tax benefits and incentives (2026). Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the most popular power type choice among buyers, while the battery-electric car market share reached 19.4%. Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids continued to strengthen their position, underlining the importance of a technology-neutral pathway to decarbonisation.
New EU car registrations by power source
Battery-electric cars accounted for 19.4% of the EU market share in Q1 2026, an increase from 15.2% one year earlier. Hybrid-electric car registrations captured 38.6% of the market, remaining the preferred choice among consumers in the EU. Moreover, the combined market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 30.3%, down from 38.2% in Q1 2025.
Electric cars
In the first quarter of 2026, 546,937 new battery-electric cars were registered, capturing 19.4% of the EU market share. The four largest markets in the EU, which together account for over 60% of battery-electric car registrations, delivered mixed results: Italy (+65.7%), France (+50.4%) and Germany (+41.3%) recorded strong growth. In contrast, Belgium (-2.3%) experienced a decline. (....)