EU electric car sales jump 73% in September as petrol, diesel demand slumps

Battery-electric cars account for 22.7% of EU market in 1st 9 months as petrol, diesel registrations decline

Battery-electric car sales in the EU surged 72.9% year-on-year in September to 290,117 units, supporting growth in the bloc's overall car market, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) said Thursday. Total new passenger car registrations, a measure of sales, rose 9.3% to 971,048 units during the month. Battery-electric registrations more than doubled in France, rising 107.5%, while Germany recorded a 94.7% increase. Sales also climbed 71.7% in Spain and 47.3% in Italy. Hybrid-electric registrations increased 7.3% to 330,693 units in September, while plug-in hybrid registrations rose 11.7% to 102,267 units. Petrol and diesel registrations fell 23.4% and 29.6%, respectively. In the first nine months of 2026, battery-electric registrations increased 48.5% to 1.93 million units, raising their share of the EU market to 22.7% from 16.1% a year earlier. The increase made battery-electric cars the bloc's second-most popular powertrain choice, behind hybrid-electric vehicles. ACEA said demand for electrified vehicles remained strong despite rising energy prices and geopolitical challenges, supported by measures encouraging purchases and a broader range of models. Germany registered 604,144 battery-electric cars in January-September, up 58.1% from a year earlier, while France recorded 387,342 units, an increase of 79.1%. Belgium's battery-electric registrations rose 15.7% to 125,220 units, while Denmark posted a 40.3% increase to 124,049 units. Hybrid-electric vehicles, including full and mild hybrids, remained the leading choice among EU consumers, with registrations rising 10.7% to 3.09 million units in the nine-month period. They accounted for 36.3% of the market. Plug-in hybrid registrations increased 18.6% to 860,257 units, lifting their market share to 10.1% from 9%. Growth was supported by increases of 72.4% in Italy, 34.7% in Spain, and 13.7% in Germany. Meanwhile, petrol car registrations declined 19.1% to 1.8 million units, reducing their market share to 21.2% from 27.7%. Diesel registrations dropped 19.5% to 602,206 units, with their share falling to 7.1% from 9.3%. Overall, the EU's new passenger car market expanded 5.7% to 8.52 million units in January-September. Across the EU, the European Free Trade Association and the UK combined, battery-electric registrations rose 59.9% in September to 416,433 units and increased 41.9% to 2.55 million units over the first nine months.