Europe's electric vehicle sales reach 25% of new‑car market in H1 2026

During the first half of 2026, more than 1.24 million fully electric cars were registered across Europe, a 33.7 % rise compared with the same period a year earlier. June alone saw 275 060 EV registrations in 17 European markets, up 39.5 % year‑on‑year, lifting EVs to 25.6 % of all new‑car registrations that month.

Germany remained the largest market by volume, with 84 057 EVs registered in June (28.4 % share). France posted the strongest growth, adding 55 831 EVs (29.6 % of its new‑car market). Norway continued to dominate the share metric, with EVs accounting for 96.5 % of new cars in June and 97.6 % in the first half. Italy’s registrations almost doubled year‑on‑year, but EVs only accounted for about 6.6 % of its market. Smaller markets such as Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Finland and Ireland recorded record monthly EV sales, while the Netherlands and Sweden saw declines.

A separate study of European EV pricing found that, after adjusting for inflation and vehicle specifications, comparable electric models became around 18 % cheaper between 2020 and 2025, even as average list prices rose from €37 000 to €53 000. The cost reduction is largely attributed to a 20 %+ drop in battery‑cell prices, which manufacturers have largely reinvested in longer range and higher‑performance models.