France electric cars reach 29% of new‑vehicle sales in May 2026

In May 2026, electric vehicles accounted for 29% of all new‑car registrations in France – 37,412 units – a historic record and roughly one in three private purchases. Overall new‑car registrations rose 3.7% to 128,484, with private sales up 15%. Tesla’s French sales surged 655% year‑on‑year, while Stellantis and Renault fell about 8% each and Chinese brands such as BYD, Xpeng and Leapmotor posted strong growth.

The market shift is attributed to purchase incentives, fleet electrification mandates, broader model ranges at lower prices and higher fuel costs. The government will relaunch the “social leasing” scheme on 16 July 2026 to further stimulate adoption. Used‑car EV transactions more than doubled year‑on‑year, reaching 22,932 units in May.

Chinese EV maker Leapmotor delivered 356,487 vehicles globally in the first half of 2026, a 95% increase over the prior year, and recorded a June French sales peak of 940 registrations – a 0.5% market share overall and 1.5% of the pure‑EV segment (2% among private buyers). Expansion is supported by its partnership with Stellantis, which holds a stake and distributes Leapmotor models outside China, and by a growing dealer network in France and Europe.