Click to enlarge.
New EU car registrations* rose by 5.7% year-to-date, with a solid performance in June contributing to a positive first half of 2026, according to data published today by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. [aka ACEA at AutoInformed after its original French name].
“This came against a backdrop of persistent geopolitical headwinds weighing on the outlook. The market continued to benefit from robust consumer demand for a range of electrified technologies, driven primarily by market support measures. Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the most popular powertrain choice…, while battery-electric cars reached 20.7%. In addition, plug-in hybrids captured 9.8% of the EU market,” ACEA said.
Click to Enlarge.
New Eu Car Registrations by Power Source
Up until June 2026, battery-electric cars held a 20.7% share of the EU market, up from 15.6% a year earlier. Hybrid-electric car registrations captured 37.3% of the market, remaining the preferred choice among consumers in the EU. At the same time, the combined market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 29.7%, compared with 37.8% a year earlier. New EU car registrations rose by 5.7% year-to-date, with a strong performance in June contributing to a positive first half of 2026.
Electric Cars
In the first half of 2026, 1,220,890 new battery-electric cars were registered, capturing 20.7% of the EU market. Three of the four largest EU markets, which together accounted for 63% of all battery-electric car registrations, experienced strong growth: France (+62.9%), Germany (+48%) and Denmark (+41.2%). Belgium also posted an increase (+8.2%), albeit at a more moderate pace.
H1 2026’s data also show new EU hybrid-electric car registrations rising to 2,198,148 units, supported by growth in Italy (+23%) and Spain (+20.8%), with Germany (+6.9%) and France (+3.2%) also recording increases. Overall, hybrid-electric models accounted for 37.3% of the total EU market.
Registrations of plug-in-hybrid electric cars continued to grow, reaching 577,735 units in H1 2026. This was caused by rising volumes in key markets such as Italy (+84.3%), Spain (+39%) and Germany (+17.9%). New plug-in-hybrid electric cars now represent 9.8% of EU registrations, up from 8.5% over the same period in 2025.
Petrol and Diesel Cars
By the end of June 2026, petrol car registrations declined by 17.2%, with decreases across all major markets. France registered the strongest drop, with volumes falling by 34.2%, other key markets also posted double-digit decreases: Spain (-18.5%), Germany (-18.2%), and Italy (-17.1%).
With 1,309,153 new cars registered in the first six months of 2026, the market share for petrol fell to 22.2% from 28.4% in H1 2025. The diesel car market continued its downward trend, with registrations declining by 16.5% and accounting for 7.5% of new car registrations, down from 9.4%.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
ACEA – New EU Car Registrations Up 5.7% YTD
Click to enlarge.
New EU car registrations* rose by 5.7% year-to-date, with a solid performance in June contributing to a positive first half of 2026, according to data published today by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. [aka ACEA at AutoInformed after its original French name].
“This came against a backdrop of persistent geopolitical headwinds weighing on the outlook. The market continued to benefit from robust consumer demand for a range of electrified technologies, driven primarily by market support measures. Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the most popular powertrain choice…, while battery-electric cars reached 20.7%. In addition, plug-in hybrids captured 9.8% of the EU market,” ACEA said.
Click to Enlarge.
New Eu Car Registrations by Power Source
Up until June 2026, battery-electric cars held a 20.7% share of the EU market, up from 15.6% a year earlier. Hybrid-electric car registrations captured 37.3% of the market, remaining the preferred choice among consumers in the EU. At the same time, the combined market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 29.7%, compared with 37.8% a year earlier. New EU car registrations rose by 5.7% year-to-date, with a strong performance in June contributing to a positive first half of 2026.
Electric Cars
In the first half of 2026, 1,220,890 new battery-electric cars were registered, capturing 20.7% of the EU market. Three of the four largest EU markets, which together accounted for 63% of all battery-electric car registrations, experienced strong growth: France (+62.9%), Germany (+48%) and Denmark (+41.2%). Belgium also posted an increase (+8.2%), albeit at a more moderate pace.
H1 2026’s data also show new EU hybrid-electric car registrations rising to 2,198,148 units, supported by growth in Italy (+23%) and Spain (+20.8%), with Germany (+6.9%) and France (+3.2%) also recording increases. Overall, hybrid-electric models accounted for 37.3% of the total EU market.
Registrations of plug-in-hybrid electric cars continued to grow, reaching 577,735 units in H1 2026. This was caused by rising volumes in key markets such as Italy (+84.3%), Spain (+39%) and Germany (+17.9%). New plug-in-hybrid electric cars now represent 9.8% of EU registrations, up from 8.5% over the same period in 2025.
Petrol and Diesel Cars
By the end of June 2026, petrol car registrations declined by 17.2%, with decreases across all major markets. France registered the strongest drop, with volumes falling by 34.2%, other key markets also posted double-digit decreases: Spain (-18.5%), Germany (-18.2%), and Italy (-17.1%).
With 1,309,153 new cars registered in the first six months of 2026, the market share for petrol fell to 22.2% from 28.4% in H1 2025. The diesel car market continued its downward trend, with registrations declining by 16.5% and accounting for 7.5% of new car registrations, down from 9.4%.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.