EUBattery-electric cars have a larger share of new EU registrations than petrol cars so far in 2026. The European carmakers’ association ACEA counts 1,931,465 new BEVs for January to September, a 22.7% share, up from 16.1% a year earlier. Petrol cars fell 19.1% to 1,802,078 registrations and a 21.2% share, down from 27.7%. Hybrid-electric cars (HEV) are still the most popular powertrain at 36.3%.
The powertrain split
| Powertrain | Share, Jan-Sep 2026 (%) | Share, Jan-Sep 2025 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid-electric (HEV) | 36.3 | 34.7 |
| Battery-electric (BEV) | 22.7 | 16.1 |
| Petrol | 21.2 | 27.7 |
| Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) | 10.1 | 9.0 |
| Diesel | 7.1 | 9.3 |
HEV registrations reached 3,090,530 and PHEV 860,257. Petrol and diesel together made up 28.2% of the market, against 36.9% a year earlier. The overall EU market grew 5.7%. ACEA attributes the resilience to buyer support measures and a broader model offering, despite persistently rising energy prices and geopolitical headwinds.
Where the growth came from
BEV registrations grew 79.1% in France and 58.1% in Germany, and 40.3% in Denmark. Belgium’s increase was a more moderate 15.7%. Petrol fell in every major market, most sharply in France (-36.1%), then Germany (-22.7%), Spain (-19%) and Italy (-16.4%). HEV growth came from Italy (+20.8%) and Spain (+20.5%), and PHEV from Italy (+72.4%), Spain (+34.7%) and Germany (+13.7%).
How it compares with half-year
The crossover came between the half-year and the end of September. At the half-year mark, ACEA’s H1 figures had BEVs at 20.7% and petrol at 22.2%. The nine-month BEV share is two points higher, and petrol’s is one point lower. Petrol and diesel together still hold 28.2% of the market. A nine-month share is a running average, so recent months can sit above it: the September figures for 17 European markets show 32.6%, though that set includes non-EU markets such as Norway.
