2026 (April): new passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, EFTA, UK) increased by 7%, with battery-electric car sales up 38% for a 21% market share. Year-to-date 2026 European car sales are up 4.8%.
New passenger car sales in Europe, including the European Union, EFTA countries, and the UK, increased by 7% in April 2026 to 1,152,315 cars. The market for battery-electric passenger vehicles expanded even faster at 38%, accounting for 20.9% of total European new car sales in April 2026. Germany remained the largest new car market in Europe, followed by the UK and Italy. Volkswagen was the top-selling brand while the Dacia Sandero was Europe’s favorite car model in April 2026. Chinese car brands continued to make inroads, especially in battery-electric vehicle sales in Europe in 2026.
Latest European Car Market Statistics: 2026: January, February (electric), Q1 (electric), April, May; 2025 (Full Year): Market Overview, Sales by Country, Electric, Brands, Models.
European New Car Market in 2026
New passenger vehicle registrations in the European Union (EU) increased by 5.1% in April 2026 to 972,314 cars, compared to 925,324 cars sold in April 2025. During the first four months of 2026, the car market in the European Union expanded by 4.2% to 4,672,775 vehicles.
In the larger European region, including the EU, EFTA, and the UK, new passenger vehicle registrations increased by a faster 7% in April 2026 to 1,152,315 cars.
Year-to-date 2026, the European new car market expanded by 4.8% to 4,672,775 vehicles — an increase of more than 200,000 cars compared to the start of 2025.
Car Sales by Power or Energy Source in Europe 2026
In April 2026, battery-electric car sales in the EU increased by 37.7% to 200,117 all-electric cars for a market share of 20.6%. BEV sales in Europe (EU, EFTA, UK) increased by 38.3% for a 22.2% share of the market.
Year-to-date 2026, all-electric car sales in the EU increased by just over a third for a 19.7% share, while in the larger European regions, BEV sales took a 20.9% share of the market.
The growth in electric car sales is driven by political and economic factors. In Germany, long-promised subsidies finally started to be processed. The geopolitical situation and a fear of higher petrol prices also encouraged sales and interest in electric cars.
Car Sales Per European Country in 2026 (April)
New passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, EFTA, and UK) in April and the first four months of 2026 were as follows, according to the ACEA:
| Country | April 2026 | % Δ April 26/25 | 1-4/2026 | 1-4/2025 | % Δ Jan-Apr 26/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 27,509 | 10.7 | 104,744 | 90,872 | 15.3 |
| Belgium | 37,802 | 0 | 151,607 | 158,751 | -4.5 |
| Bulgaria | 4,742 | 18.3 | 16,179 | 15,610 | 3.6 |
| Croatia | 8,658 | -4.5 | 25,553 | 24,215 | 5.5 |
| Cyprus | 1,185 | 8.1 | 4,799 | 5,546 | -13.5 |
| Czechia | 22,397 | 5.5 | 82,947 | 80,912 | 2.5 |
| Denmark | 16,754 | 10.8 | 60,457 | 52,537 | 15.1 |
| Estonia | 1,914 | 78 | 6,164 | 3,196 | 92.9 |
| Finland | 5,705 | -8.7 | 22,907 | 22,958 | -0.2 |
| France | 138,339 | -0.3 | 539,894 | 548,781 | -1.6 |
| Germany | 249,163 | 2.7 | 948,567 | 907,299 | 4.5 |
| Greece | 14,275 | -2.6 | 49,087 | 47,845 | 2.6 |
| Hungary | 11,832 | 9.7 | 48,291 | 43,691 | 10.5 |
| Ireland | 10,090 | 15.9 | 74,974 | 73,491 | 2 |
| Italy | 155,145 | 11.6 | 639,736 | 582,854 | 9.8 |
| Latvia | 1,909 | -7.6 | 6,902 | 6,844 | 0.8 |
| Lithuania | 4,692 | 16.1 | 14,263 | 12,975 | 9.9 |
| Luxembourg | 4,922 | 12.8 | 17,460 | 17,032 | 2.5 |
| Malta | 592 | -7.8 | 2,150 | 1,917 | 12.2 |
| Netherlands | 25,704 | -4.8 | 106,611 | 118,375 | -9.9 |
| Poland | 51,824 | 10.3 | 203,463 | 189,083 | 7.6 |
| Portugal | 21,592 | 15.1 | 85,651 | 77,297 | 10.8 |
| Romania | 10,205 | 2.1 | 37,480 | 43,688 | -14.2 |
| Slovakia | 6,957 | -16.4 | 26,999 | 28,699 | -5.9 |
| Slovenia | 7,398 | 42.5 | 23,899 | 19,864 | 20.3 |
| Spain | 106,862 | 8.4 | 407,389 | 377,958 | 7.8 |
| Sweden | 24,147 | -0.6 | 86,107 | 87,736 | -1.9 |
| EUROPEAN UNION | 972,314 | 5.1 | 3,794,280 | 3,640,026 | 4.2 |
| Iceland | 1,033 | -29 | 4,516 | 3,726 | 21.2 |
| Norway | 11,103 | -1.6 | 38,278 | 43,442 | -11.9 |
| Switzerland | 18,618 | -0.2 | 71,600 | 71,354 | 0.3 |
| EFTA | 30,754 | -2.1 | 114,394 | 118,522 | -3.5 |
| United Kingdom | 149,247 | 24 | 764,101 | 700,843 | 9 |
| EU EFTA UK | 1,152,315 | 7 | 4,672,775 | 4,459,391 | 4.8 |
| Source: ACEA |
Germany remained the largest new car market in Europe thus far in 2026, but sales growth was double as fast in the UK and Italy. The British market expanded by a quarter in April 2026, but April 2025 sales were particularly weak. The French car market was slightly weaker.
Of the larger markets, thus far in 2026, the Netherlands was the weakest with sales down by a tenth, while the Austrian market grew by 15%.
Electric Car Sales Per European Country in 2026 (April)
New electric passenger vehicle registrations and electric car sales in Europe (EU, EFTA, and UK) in April 2026 and the first four months of 2026 were as follows, according to the ACEA:
| Country | BEV Apr 2026 | % Δ April 26/25 | Sales 1-4/2026 | Sales 1-4/2025 | % Δ BEV 1-4 26/25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 7,122 | 25.2 | 24,469 | 19,867 | 23.2 |
| Belgium | 13,971 | 12 | 53,440 | 52,871 | 1.1 |
| Bulgaria | 456 | 216.7 | 1,190 | 642 | 85.4 |
| Croatia | 330 | 450 | 1,110 | 264 | 320.5 |
| Cyprus | 181 | 101.1 | 606 | 451 | 34.4 |
| Czechia | 1,684 | 37 | 5,123 | 4,342 | 18 |
| Denmark | 13,721 | 43.5 | 48,691 | 34,088 | 42.8 |
| Estonia | 115 | 59.7 | 375 | 296 | 26.7 |
| Finland | 2,783 | 20.9 | 10,846 | 7,940 | 36.6 |
| France | 36,216 | 41.8 | 148,299 | 100,061 | 48.2 |
| Germany | 64,350 | 41.3 | 223,980 | 158,503 | 41.3 |
| Greece | 695 | 10.3 | 2,989 | 2,650 | 12.8 |
| Hungary | 1,420 | 101.7 | 4,617 | 3,112 | 48.4 |
| Ireland | 2,740 | 105.2 | 16,718 | 11,299 | 48 |
| Italy | 13,199 | 98.8 | 51,286 | 29,622 | 73.1 |
| Latvia | 123 | -9.6 | 446 | 430 | 3.7 |
| Lithuania | 331 | 51.8 | 1,089 | 703 | 54.9 |
| Luxembourg | 1,533 | 53.5 | 4,914 | 4,732 | 3.8 |
| Malta | 138 | -34.2 | 643 | 512 | 25.6 |
| Netherlands | 9,616 | 4.9 | 34,417 | 41,582 | -17.2 |
| Poland | 2,651 | 3.8 | 11,414 | 7,660 | 49 |
| Portugal | 5,010 | 34.6 | 20,146 | 15,897 | 26.7 |
| Romania | 641 | 194 | 3,228 | 2,379 | 35.7 |
| Slovakia | 496 | 55 | 1,510 | 1,151 | 31.2 |
| Slovenia | 1,038 | 159.5 | 3,335 | 1,689 | 97.5 |
| Spain | 9,723 | 42.8 | 36,949 | 26,032 | 41.9 |
| Sweden | 9,834 | 15 | 35,069 | 29,473 | 19 |
| EUROPEAN UNION | 200,117 | 37.7 | 746,899 | 558,248 | 33.8 |
| Iceland | 460 | 38.6 | 1,582 | 1,288 | 22.8 |
| Norway | 10,952 | 0.1 | 37,569 | 39,565 | -5 |
| Switzerland | 4,683 | 34.6 | 16,097 | 14,213 | 13.3 |
| EFTA | 16,095 | 9.1 | 55,248 | 55,066 | 0.3 |
| United Kingdom | 39,084 | 59.2 | 176,698 | 144,748 | 22.1 |
| EU EFTA UK | 255,296 | 38.3 | 978,845 | 758,062 | 29.1 |
| Source: ACEA |
Germany, the United Kingdom, and France remained by far the largest European markets for battery electric cars in April 2026 and the first four months of the year. Sales grew faster in Italy, but the Italian electric car market had been lagging behind the other large markets for many years.