Electric cars take 25.7% of European market in July
European BEV registrations rose 13.6% in July, with France and Germany driving growth while Italy's share slipped.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for more than a quarter of all new car registrations across 16 major European markets in July, according to data from industry trackers. A total of 224,266 fully electric cars were registered during the month, a 13.6% increase compared with the same period last year.
The July figures pushed the BEV market share to 25.7%, up from the levels seen earlier in the year. Cumulative registrations for 2026 have now reached nearly 1.5 million units, a 30% jump over the same period in 2025.
France emerged as a key growth driver, with BEVs capturing a 35% share of the market on 44,378 registrations. Germany followed closely, recording 78,609 BEV registrations and a 29.3% share.
Nordic and Benelux countries continued to lead the electrification push. Denmark topped the list with an 80.1% BEV share, followed by Finland at 52.6%, the Netherlands at 47.3%, Belgium at 42.8%, and Sweden at 42.6%.
Not all markets performed equally. Italy's BEV share dropped to 5.9% in July from 10.1% in June, following the expiry of purchase incentives. Poland and the Czech Republic remained the least electrified markets, with shares of 4% and 7.5%, respectively.
Chris Heron, secretary general of E-Mobility Europe, said electric cars remain one of the region's biggest success stories in 2026, and urged governments to provide stable and predictable policies to sustain the growth momentum.