Electric cars Europe reached a historic milestone in the first half of 2026, with battery electric vehicles outselling petrol cars for the first time across the European market. Strong growth in Germany, France and Italy highlights the accelerating shift towards zero-emission mobility.
Electric cars Europe reach a landmark milestone in the transition to zero-emission mobility
The European automotive market has crossed a symbolic threshold. During the first six months of 2026, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) recorded 1,608,200 registrations, surpassing 1,590,767 petrol-powered cars for the first time. The milestone was driven by an exceptional 51.0% year-on-year increase in BEV registrations during June across the combined EU, EFTA and UK market.
The figures cover the 27 EU Member States, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, as well as the United Kingdom, effectively representing the entire European automotive market. The achievement becomes even more significant considering that the combined share of battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid vehicles climbed to 69.4% of total registrations.
According to the latest ACEA data, battery electric vehicles now account for 20.7% of the European market, while plug-in hybrids have increased their share to 9.8%. At the same time, the combined market share of petrol and diesel vehicles has fallen to 29.7%, down from 37.8% a year earlier. Overall, new passenger car registrations across the EU increased by 5.7% during the first half of the year.
Major European markets drive electric cars Europe growth
Looking exclusively at the EU market, three of the four largest BEV markets, together representing 63% of all battery electric registrations, posted remarkable growth. France led with +62.9%, followed by Germany at +48.0% and Denmark at +41.2%. Belgium also recorded positive growth, albeit at a more moderate +8.2%.
Italy records one of Europe’s fastest EV expansions
Italy delivered one of the strongest performances in Europe during the first half of 2026. Battery electric vehicle registrations reached 79,613 units, representing a remarkable 77.5% year-on-year increase, while June alone posted an impressive 87% surge.
As a result, BEVs now account for 8.5% of all new passenger car registrations in Italy, up from 5.2% in the first half of 2025. Plug-in hybrids have also expanded to 9%, while hybrid vehicles now dominate the Italian market with a 49.5% share. Meanwhile, petrol-powered cars have fallen to 19.5% of new registrations.
Hybrid and plug-in vehicles continue to strengthen across Europe
The first half of 2026 also confirmed the continued momentum of electrified vehicles across Europe. Hybrid-electric cars reached 2,198,148 registrations, capturing 37.3% of the total market. Growth was driven primarily by Italy (+23%) and Spain (+20.8%), alongside increases in Germany (+6.9%) and France (+3.2%).
Meanwhile, plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) continued their upward trajectory, reaching 577,735 registrations and increasing their market share to 9.8%, compared with 8.5% during the same period in 2025. The strongest gains came from Italy (+84.3%), Spain (+39.0%), and Germany (+17.9%), reinforcing the broader transition towards electrified mobility across the continent.
