New car sales in Europe driven by EV charge
New car sales in Europe rose 5.2% to 828,402 units in August, according to new figures from JATO Dynamics.
Electric vehicles drove the growth with registrations rising by 52.2% year-on-year to 242,425 units, increasing market share from 20.2% in 2025 to 29.3% for August 2026.
Plug-in hybrids also continued to grow in demand with registrations increasing by 13.8% to 94,474 units, while hybrids grew by 6.5% to 104,919 units and mild hybrid sales rose 174,116.
However, registrations of petrol and diesel vehicles fell by 23.4% year-on-year to 200,428 units, with market share down to just 24.2%.
Steffen Michulski, regional consultant Europe at JATO Dynamics, added: “August felt like another milestone month for Europe’s EV transition. BEVs didn’t just grow, they pulled further away from combustion cars and came close to capturing one-third of the market.
“What’s particularly striking is that this momentum is no longer coming from a handful of trailblazers. From established European brands to ambitious newcomers, the race is now fully electric, and it’s accelerating.”
