EU car market: registrations fall 1.2% in Q1 2026
The EU car market reverses its growth in the first two months of 2026: the decline in the January-February period is 1.2%. However, electric cars continue their race, reaching a market share of 18.8%. In the first two months of 2025, the share was 15.2%.
In terms of units, 312,369 new electric cars were registered, according to data released by the ACEA, European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.
Hybrids and electrics perform well
Despite this slight overall contraction, the latest ACEA data highlight a significant growth in the market share of electric and hybrid cars, at the expense of traditional internal combustion engines. However, sales are inconsistent, as evidenced by data from the four largest EU markets, which together account for 61% of BEV registrations:
- France (+38.5%)
- Germany (+26.3%)
- Belgium (-11%)
- Netherlands (-34.9%)
Italy pushes for plug-ins
Concurrently, plug-in hybrid cars continue their upward trajectory, now representing 9.8% of total registrations (compared to 7.4% the previous year). In this sector, Italy stands out with an extraordinary growth of 116.1%, followed by Spain (+71.5%).
Hybrid-electric (HEV) models remain the preferred powertrain type in the European Union, covering 38.7% of the market. With 643,898 units registered, the segment benefited from strong demand in Italy (+29.5%) and Spain (+13.4%).
Gasoline and diesel decline in the EU car market
While new automotive technologies rise, sales of internal combustion engines decline, with their combined gasoline/diesel market share falling to 30.6%, marking a clear drop from 38.7% in the first two months of 2025.
In February 2026, year-to-date, gasoline car registrations decreased by 23.3%, with declines recorded in all major markets. France experienced the most significant drop, with registrations plummeting by 48.5%, followed by Germany (-22.8%), Spain (-20.8%), and Italy (-18.6%).
With 374,774 new cars registered in the last two months , the market share of gasoline cars fell to 22.5% from 29% recorded in the same period last year. The diesel car market continued its downward trend, with registrations decreasing by 17.7% and an 8.1% share of new registrations from January to February.
Stellantis grows
In the first two months of the year, Stellantis is the only group (excluding Chinese newcomers) to increase its market share in Europe: 19.2%, a growth of 1.5 percentage points compared to 2025. For the first time, Stellantis takes the top spot for BEV sales in the B2C sector across the 10 main markets. The group leads the hybrid powertrain segment, with a market share over 20%, showing positive performance for Smart Cars (Citroën C3 / ë C3, Citroën C3 Aircross, Fiat Grande Panda, and Opel Frontera).
Italian leadership
In the Italian market, Stellantis ranks first with a market share of 34%, an increase of 3.6% compared to 2025. Over 53,000 registrations, +27.7% compared to the overall market’s 14.04%. Fiat Pandina is the market’s best-seller, and Leapmotor surpasses 5,000 registrations for the first time, establishing itself as the best-selling brand in the electric segment.
In France, despite an 11% market decline, Stellantis is the leader with a market share of almost 33%, an increase of 2.2%. Specifically, the Peugeot brand has four vehicles in the top 10 (Peugeot 208, 2008, 3008, and 308), while Citroën, Fiat, Jeep, Leapmotor, and Opel are growing. In Germany, the share is close to 14%, with Stellantis growing by 2.2%