EU EV Sales Rise 29% in Q1 2026 as Fuel Costs Climb

Battery-electric vehicle registrations across 15 European markets increased 29.4% to almost 560,000 in the first quarter of 2026, E-Mobility Europe and New Automotive reported. March delivered more than 240,000 registrations, a 51.3% year-on-year rise.

Those 15 markets accounted for 94% of battery-electric sales recorded last year across the European Union and the European Free Trade Association, according to ACEA data. In March, battery-electric models made up 21.2% of all new vehicle registrations across the EU and EFTA.

Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Poland each posted more than 40% growth in battery-electric registrations in the quarter. Britain recorded a 12.8% increase and battery-electric vehicles accounted for 22.5% of new car registrations there; rising petrol prices were named as a factor in the U.K. increase.

E-Mobility Europe and New Automotive estimate the quarter’s rise in registrations will reduce oil demand by roughly 2 million barrels a year.

Chris Heron, secretary general of E-Mobility Europe, described March’s surge as “one of Europe’s biggest recent gains in energy security, in a month when oil dependence has become a real vulnerability.”

The International Energy Agency reported global electricity demand grew 3% in 2025, outpacing total energy demand growth of 1.3%. Buildings accounted for nearly 45% of the annual increase, transport contributed more than 10%, and data centers added roughly 17%, about 70 terawatt-hours.

China provided a large share of the increase in electricity demand, contributing about 58% of the global rise in 2025. India and Southeast Asia recorded slower growth last year, and electricity demand in the EU rose about 1%.

E-Mobility Europe and New Automotive noted the registration gains were concentrated in markets that have been more active in deploying electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.