2026 (May): new passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, EFTA, UK) increased by 3.6%, with battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales up 39% to give all-electric car sales a 23.3% market share.
In May 2026, new car sales in Europe, including the European Union, EFTA countries, and the UK, increased by 3.6% to 1,152,523 cars. This was the fourth consecutive month of growth, increasing new passenger vehicle registrations in Europe during the first five months of 2026 by 4.5% to 5,824,814 cars. In May, Germany remained the largest new car market in Europe, followed by the UK, Italy, France, and Spain. Volkswagen was the top-selling car brand in Europe, but the larger European brands mostly lost market share. Chinese car brands continued to grow strongly, especially in battery-electric vehicle sales in Europe in 2026. The Dacia Sandero was the top-selling car model, followed by the Renault Clio and Tesla Model Y.
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 3.2% to 955,013 cars in May 2026. This marked the fourth consecutive month of market expansion with year-to-date car sales in the EU up by 4.0% to 4,748,801 vehicles.
New passenger vehicle registrations in the larger European region, including the EU, EFTA, and the UK, increased by a slightly higher 3.6% to 1,152,523 cars in May 2026. Year-to-date 2026, European new car sales increased by 4.5% to 5,824,814 vehicles.
Car Sales by Power or Energy Source in Europe 2026
In May 2026, battery-electric car sales in the EU increased by 42% for a market share of 21.3%. During the first five months of 2026, EU all-electric car sales increased by 35.7% for a 20% market share.
BEV sales in Europe (EU, EFTA, UK) increased by 39.1% for a market share of 23.3% in May 2026. During the first five months of 2026, European all-electric car sales increased by 31.2% for a 21.4% share of the total European new car market.
Car Sales Per European Country in 2026
New passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, EFTA, and UK) in May and January-May 2026 were as follows, according to the ACEA:
| Country | May 2026 | May 2025 | % Δ May | 1-5/2026 | 1-5/2025 | % Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 25,529 | 24,311 | 5 | 130,273 | 115,183 | 13.1 |
| Belgium | 33,625 | 34,338 | -2.1 | 185,232 | 193,089 | -4.1 |
| Bulgaria | 4,293 | 3,850 | 11.5 | 20,500 | 19,463 | 5.3 |
| Croatia | 9,595 | 8,791 | 9.1 | 35,148 | 33,006 | 6.5 |
| Cyprus | 1,312 | 1,328 | -1.2 | 6,111 | 6,874 | -11.1 |
| Czechia | 20,463 | 19,519 | 4.8 | 103,410 | 100,431 | 3.0 |
| Denmark | 19,092 | 17,946 | 6.4 | 79,549 | 70,483 | 12.9 |
| Estonia | 1,883 | 1,411 | 33.5 | 8,047 | 4,607 | 74.7 |
| Finland | 6,783 | 6,853 | -1 | 29,693 | 29,811 | -0.4 |
| France | 128,484 | 123,919 | 3.7 | 668,378 | 672,700 | -0.6 |
| Germany | 239,448 | 239,297 | 0.1 | 1,188,015 | 1,146,596 | 3.6 |
| Greece | 16,242 | 15,670 | 3.7 | 65,297 | 63,515 | 2.8 |
| Hungary | 11,518 | 10,903 | 5.6 | 59,469 | 54,594 | 8.9 |
| Ireland | 8,041 | 5,822 | 38.1 | 83,007 | 79,313 | 4.7 |
| Italy | 150,043 | 139,400 | 7.6 | 789,802 | 722,253 | 9.4 |
| Latvia | 2,055 | 2,199 | -6.5 | 8,957 | 9,043 | -1.0 |
| Lithuania | 4,832 | 4,093 | 18.1 | 19,095 | 17,068 | 11.9 |
| Luxembourg | 3,940 | 4,058 | -2.9 | 21,400 | 21,090 | 1.5 |
| Malta | 800 | 524 | 52.7 | 3,220 | 2,441 | 31.9 |
| Netherlands | 29,915 | 29,596 | 1.1 | 136,090 | 147,971 | -8.0 |
| Poland | 49,591 | 46,641 | 6.3 | 253,054 | 235,724 | 7.4 |
| Portugal | 25,080 | 23,545 | 6.5 | 110,731 | 100,842 | 9.8 |
| Romania | 11,250 | 10,521 | 6.9 | 48,730 | 54,209 | -10.1 |
| Slovakia | 7,166 | 7,651 | -6.3 | 34,165 | 36,350 | -6.0 |
| Slovenia | 6,154 | 5,118 | 20.2 | 30,053 | 24,982 | 20.3 |
| Spain | 111,894 | 112,811 | -0.8 | 519,283 | 490,769 | 5.8 |
| Sweden | 25,985 | 25,675 | 1.2 | 112,092 | 113,411 | -1.2 |
| EUROPEAN UNION | 955,013 | 925,790 | 3.2 | 4,748,801 | 4,565,818 | 4.0 |
| Iceland | 1,547 | 2,127 | -27.3 | 6,063 | 5,853 | 3.6 |
| Norway | 15,560 | 14,260 | 9.1 | 53,846 | 57,702 | -6.7 |
| Switzerland | 19,741 | 19,969 | -1.1 | 91,341 | 91,323 | 0.0 |
| EFTA | 36,848 | 36,356 | 1.4 | 151,250 | 154,878 | -2.3 |
| United Kingdom | 160,662 | 150,070 | 7.1 | 924,763 | 850,913 | 8.7 |
| EU + EFTA + UK | 1,152,523 | 1,112,216 | 3.6 | 5,824,814 | 5,571,609 | 4.5 |
| Source: ACEA |
Of the larger European new car markets, Italy and Britain expanded the fastest in May 2026. Growth in France was just above the market average, while the German market hardly expanded, and sales were weaker in Spain.
BEV Sales Per European Country in 2026
New battery-electric passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, EFTA, and UK) in May and January-May 2026 were as follows, according to the ACEA:
| Country | May 2026 | May 2025 | % Δ BEV | 1-5/2026 | 1-5/2025 | % Δ BEV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 6,598 | 5,428 | 21.6 | 31,067 | 25,295 | 22.8 |
| Belgium | 12,586 | 11,347 | 10.9 | 66,026 | 64,218 | 2.8 |
| Bulgaria | 362 | 194 | 86.6 | 1,565 | 836 | 87.2 |
| Croatia | 327 | 55 | 494.5 | 1,437 | 319 | 350.5 |
| Cyprus | 135 | 119 | 13.4 | 741 | 570 | 30 |
| Czechia | 1,356 | 1,210 | 12.1 | 6,479 | 5,552 | 16.7 |
| Denmark | 15,020 | 10,943 | 37.3 | 63,711 | 45,031 | 41.5 |
| Estonia | 96 | 59 | 62.7 | 471 | 355 | 32.7 |
| Finland | 3,309 | 2,296 | 44.1 | 14,156 | 10,236 | 38.3 |
| France | 37,412 | 19,414 | 92.7 | 185,711 | 119,475 | 55.4 |
| Germany | 59,969 | 43,060 | 39.3 | 283,949 | 201,563 | 40.9 |
| Greece | 951 | 746 | 27.5 | 3,938 | 3,396 | 16 |
| Hungary | 1,319 | 799 | 65.1 | 5,936 | 3,911 | 51.8 |
| Ireland | 2,328 | 1,086 | 114.4 | 19,042 | 12,385 | 53.8 |
| Italy | 13,274 | 7,118 | 86.5 | 64,567 | 36,740 | 75.7 |
| Latvia | 106 | 165 | -35.8 | 552 | 595 | -7.2 |
| Lithuania | 288 | 222 | 29.7 | 1,377 | 925 | 48.9 |
| Luxembourg | 1,248 | 888 | 40.5 | 6,162 | 5,620 | 9.6 |
| Malta | 291 | 147 | 98 | 1,236 | 659 | 87.6 |
| Netherlands | 12,363 | 10,103 | 22.4 | 46,668 | 51,685 | -9.7 |
| Poland | 2,015 | 2,818 | -28.5 | 13,429 | 10,478 | 28.2 |
| Portugal | 6,988 | 4,478 | 56.1 | 27,134 | 20,375 | 33.2 |
| Romania | 798 | 432 | 84.7 | 4,026 | 2,811 | 43.2 |
| Slovakia | 474 | 376 | 26.1 | 1,984 | 1,527 | 29.9 |
| Slovenia | 1,037 | 460 | 125.4 | 4,372 | 2,149 | 103.4 |
| Spain | 12,049 | 8,960 | 34.5 | 48,998 | 34,992 | 40 |
| Sweden | 10,718 | 9,469 | 13.2 | 45,787 | 38,942 | 17.6 |
| EUROPEAN UNION | 203,417 | 142,392 | 42.9 | 950,521 | 700,640 | 35.7 |
| Iceland | 789 | 375 | 110.4 | 2,371 | 1,663 | 42.6 |
| Norway | 15,210 | 13,384 | 13.6 | 52,787 | 52,949 | -0.3 |
| Switzerland | 5,140 | 4,177 | 23.1 | 21,237 | 18,390 | 15.5 |
| EFTA | 21,139 | 17,936 | 17.9 | 76,395 | 73,002 | 4.6 |
| United Kingdom | 43,931 | 32,738 | 34.2 | 220,629 | 177,486 | 24.3 |
| EU + EFTA + UK | 268,487 | 193,066 | 39.1 | 1,247,545 | 951,128 | 31.2 |
In May 2026, Germany, Britain, and France remained the largest European markets for all-electric cars. In France, BEV sales almost doubled, indicating that the availability of smaller electric cars, such as the Renault 4 and 5, as well as some Stellantis models, is having an effect. Similar Volkswagen models are still months away from the market.
Electric car sales also increased sharply in Italy, but the Italian BEV market is still smaller than that of Norway (98% all-electric car sales) and Denmark. Similarly, more electric cars were sold in Belgium and the Netherlands than in the much larger Spanish market.