Almost one in four new cars registered in the EU this year is fully electric. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), battery-electric models took 22.7% of the market from January to September 2026. That’s a sharp rise from 16.1% over the same period last year.
How many electric cars have Europeans bought so far?
ACEA’s latest registration data, published on 22 October, counts 1,931,465 new battery-electric cars across the EU in the first nine months. As a result, they’re now the second most popular powertrain, behind conventional hybrids. Meanwhile, the overall EU car market grew 5.7% compared with the same period in 2025.
That growth came despite a difficult backdrop. ACEA points to persistently rising energy prices and geopolitical headwinds. Even so, the association says the market showed “notable resilience”.
The monthly trend tells its own story. The battery-electric share stood at 19.3% in January, then dipped to 18.8% for the first two months combined. After that, it climbed steadily. It reached 20.7% at the half-year mark and 21.7% by the end of August. For comparison, the full-year figure for 2025 was 17.4%.
Which countries are driving the growth?
Growth has been concentrated in a handful of large markets. According to ACEA, the four largest battery-electric markets together account for 64% of EU registrations. Three of them recorded strong growth. France saw the steepest rise at 79.1%. Germany followed with 58.1%, while Denmark posted 40.3%. Belgium also grew, although at a more moderate 15.7%.
ACEA links this demand to buyer support measures and a broader range of models. In short, the association credits incentives and wider choice for the momentum. It also notes that electrified vehicles performed particularly well in major European markets.
Are hybrids still the most popular choice?
Yes, they are. Hybrid-electric cars remain the EU’s top powertrain, with 3,090,530 registrations and a 36.3% share. Italy and Spain led their growth, rising 20.8% and 20.5% respectively. By contrast, gains in Germany and France were much smaller, at 4.9% and 0.6%.
Plug-in hybrids are also growing. Their registrations reached 860,257 units, lifting their share to 10.1% from 9% a year earlier. Italy saw the biggest jump, with volumes up 72.4%. Spain and Germany followed, rising 34.7% and 13.7%.
Bear in mind that conventional hybrids can’t be plugged in. So, although they’re electrified, they still rely on a combustion engine for most of their energy.
How far have petrol and diesel fallen?
Petrol registrations dropped 19.1% over the nine months. Every major market saw a decline, and France recorded the sharpest fall at 36.1%. Germany, Spain and Italy also posted double-digit losses of 22.7%, 19% and 16.4% respectively.
In total, ACEA counted 1,802,078 new petrol cars. Consequently, petrol’s share slid to 21.2% from 27.7% last year. That means battery-electric cars now hold a bigger slice of the EU market than petrol models.
Diesel continued its decline too, with registrations down 19.5%. As a result, it now accounts for just 7.1% of new cars, down from 9.3%. Taken together, petrol and diesel make up 28.2% of the market. A year ago, that combined figure stood at 36.9%.
What does this mean for buyers and the industry?
For drivers, the figures point to a market that’s shifting quickly. Electric cars have moved well beyond niche status in much of the EU. In addition, the wider model range ACEA mentions gives buyers more options at different sizes and budgets.
However, the picture still varies widely between countries. France and Germany are growing fast, whereas Belgium’s pace is steadier. At the same time, hybrids remain the most common choice overall. That suggests many buyers still prefer a gradual step towards electrification.
ACEA represents 17 major Europe-based vehicle makers, including BMW Group, Renault Group, Stellantis, Toyota Motor Europe and Volkswagen Group. Its full September 2026 press release includes the detailed country breakdowns. Finally, the next monthly update will show whether the battery-electric share keeps climbing towards the end of the year.
