2026 (August): the European new car market expanded by 5.3% with electric vehicle sales in Europe up 50% for a 29% market share.
New passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, EFTA UK) increased by 5.3% in August 2026 to 832,637 cars. Battery electric vehicle sales grew 52.2% for a record 29.2% market share – 10 percentage points higher than a year ago. Volkswagen was again the best-selling carmaker in Europe, despite loosing market share and sales volume, followed by Stellantis and Renault. The VW T-Roc was the top-selling car model.
- Latest European Car Market Statistics: 2026 (Half Year), July; 2025 (Full Year)
European New Car Market in 2026 (August)
New passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, EFTA, UK) increased by 5.3% to 832,637 cars in August 2026 compared to 790,177 cars in August 2025 and 752,847 cars sold in August 2024. The market remains well below the 900,000 cars sold in August 2023.
Year-to-date 2026, the European new car market expanded by 5.8% to 9,192,528 cars – around half a million more than were sold in the period January to August 2025.
New car sales in the European Union increased by a more modest 4.5% in August 2026 to 708,211 vehicles. Year-to-date 2026, new passenger vehicle registrations in the EU increased by 5.3% to 7,546,397 cars.
European New Car Sales by Fuel Type in 2026 (August)
In the European Union (EU), sales of battery-electric vehicles increased by 62.7% to 196,486 all-electric cars in August 2026. Electric cars took a 27.7% share of the EU market. Year-to-date 2026, electric car sales in the EU increased by 44.9% for a 21.7% market share.
In the larger European market (EU, EFTA, UK), BEV sales increased by 52.2% for a 29.2% market share in August 2026. Thus far in 2026, all-electric car sales in Europe increased by 38.8% for a 23.2% share of all new car registrations.
Car Sales by European Country in August 2026
New passenger vehicle registrations per European country in August 2026 and year-to-date 2026, according to the ACEA, were as follows:
| Country | August 2026 | Jan–Aug 2026 | YTD % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 21,788 | 212,140 | 12.0 |
| Belgium | 28,295 | 288,250 | -1.4 |
| Bulgaria | 4,679 | 35,573 | 9.8 |
| Croatia | 3,964 | 54,573 | 5.0 |
| Cyprus | 712 | 9,324 | -10.1 |
| Czechia | 17,718 | 167,673 | 4.1 |
| Denmark | 16,165 | 131,761 | 13.2 |
| Estonia | 1,479 | 13,071 | 58.6 |
| Finland | 6,643 | 49,946 | 4.2 |
| France | 94,349 | 1,078,322 | 3.0 |
| Germany | 212,563 | 1,965,024 | 4.8 |
| Greece | 5,153 | 102,370 | 2.4 |
| Hungary | 9,355 | 95,929 | 12.1 |
| Ireland | 7,791 | 121,956 | 5.1 |
| Italy | 69,420 | 1,128,768 | 8.5 |
| Latvia | 1,852 | 15,641 | 1.0 |
| Lithuania | 4,090 | 32,902 | 19.3 |
| Luxembourg | 3,103 | 33,948 | 3.8 |
| Malta | 745 | 5,395 | 31.9 |
| Netherlands | 26,455 | 228,760 | -3.8 |
| Poland | 45,907 | 414,143 | 9.5 |
| Portugal | 14,086 | 169,323 | 9.5 |
| Romania | 9,552 | 86,142 | -10.6 |
| Slovakia | 6,268 | 56,712 | -5.9 |
| Slovenia | 4,951 | 47,431 | 20.0 |
| Spain | 68,544 | 818,201 | 6.3 |
| Sweden | 22,584 | 183,119 | 2.4 |
| EUROPEAN UNION | 708,211 | 7,546,397 | 5.3 |
| Iceland | 692 | 9,342 | -4.8 |
| Norway | 13,451 | 96,464 | -3.4 |
| Switzerland | 16,047 | 151,589 | 1.8 |
| EFTA | 30,190 | 257,395 | -0.4 |
| United Kingdom | 94,236 | 1,388,736 | 9.8 |
| EU + EFTA + UK | 832,637 | 9,192,528 | 5.8 |
Electric Car Sales by European Country in August 2026
New batter-electric passenger vehicle registrations per European country in August 2026 and year-to-date 2026, according to the ACEA, were as follows:
| Country | Aug 2026 BEV | % Change | Jan–Aug 2026 BEV | YTD % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 6,316 | 46.4 | 53,449 | 31.1 |
| Belgium | 13,069 | 43.9 | 108,879 | 13.1 |
| Bulgaria | 429 | 128.2 | 2,939 | 102.7 |
| Croatia | 158 | 125.7 | 2,297 | 329.3 |
| Cyprus | 33 | -66.7 | 1,003 | 0.5 |
| Czechia | 1,497 | 78.2 | 11,665 | 32.3 |
| Denmark | 13,887 | 54.6 | 106,265 | 40.9 |
| Estonia | 174 | 278.3 | 967 | 63.9 |
| Finland | 3,427 | 76.6 | 24,339 | 46.3 |
| France | 36,159 | 112.8 | 322,099 | 74.2 |
| Germany | 68,930 | 75.1 | 515,545 | 53.1 |
| Greece | 544 | 27.1 | 6,824 | 28.7 |
| Hungary | 810 | -11.8 | 9,224 | 29.6 |
| Ireland | 2,261 | 6.9 | 32,073 | 55.4 |
| Italy | 4,434 | 34.5 | 91,165 | 69.3 |
| Latvia | 308 | 98.7 | 1,503 | 39.6 |
| Lithuania | 325 | 91.2 | 2,582 | 56.1 |
| Luxembourg | 1,132 | 58.3 | 10,284 | 26.2 |
| Malta | 302 | 42.5 | 2,147 | 70.7 |
| Netherlands | 12,925 | 43.5 | 89,839 | 9.9 |
| Poland | 2,189 | -33.8 | 20,926 | -2.1 |
| Portugal | 5,079 | 65.2 | 45,388 | 43.1 |
| Romania | 671 | -29.5 | 7,018 | 50.0 |
| Slovakia | 508 | 89.6 | 3,736 | 41.2 |
| Slovenia | 1,651 | 266.1 | 9,233 | 150.8 |
| Spain | 9,199 | 30.9 | 83,122 | 34.2 |
| Sweden | 10,069 | 48.8 | 76,822 | 22.7 |
| EUROPEAN UNION | 196,486 | 62.7 | 1,641,333 | 44.9 |
| Iceland | 541 | 77.4 | 4,337 | 38.7 |
| Norway | 13,274 | -1.6 | 94,315 | 0.6 |
| Switzerland | 4,843 | 48.7 | 37,631 | 23.2 |
| EFTA | 18,658 | 9.5 | 136,283 | 6.9 |
| United Kingdom | 28,063 | 27.7 | 355,748 | 28.6 |
| EU + EFTA + UK | 243,207 | 52.2 | 2,133,364 | 38.8 |
A strong increase in electric car sales in Germany, by far the largest single-country market in Europe, fuelled the growth in BEV sales in August 2026. Electric car sales France more than doubled in August 2026.