EU passenger car registrations rose 5.1% year-on-year to 972,314 units in April 2026, marking the third consecutive month of growth but slowing from a 12.5% increase in March. The market continued to benefit from strong consumer demand for electrified vehicles, underpinned by new and revised tax incentives and subsidy schemes across major European countries. Among the bloc’s four largest markets, registrations increased in Germany (2.7%), Italy (11.6%), and Spain (8.4%), while France recorded a slight drop of 0.3%. In the January-April period, new EU car registrations rose 4.2%, despite persistent geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, battery-electric vehicles accounted for 19.7% of the EU market year-to-date, up from 15.3% last year, highlighting continued momentum in the shift toward electrification. Three of the four largest markets, together representing 64% of total BEV registrations, posted strong year-to-date growth, namely Germany (41.3%), France (48.2%), and Italy (73.1%). source: European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA)

Car Registrations in European Union decreased to 972314 Units in April from 1158316 Units in March of 2026. Car Registrations in European Union averaged 1089935.30 Units from 2003 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 1890664.00 Units in March of 2017 and a record low of 270682.00 Units in April of 2020. This page provides - European Union Car Registrations- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. European Union New Passenger Car Registration - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-04-23 04:00 AM
New Car Registrations YoY
Mar 12.5% 1.4% 5.5%
2026-05-27 04:00 AM
New Car Registrations YoY
Apr 5.1% 12.5% 6.6%
2026-06-23 04:00 AM
New Car Registrations YoY
May 5.1%



Components Last Previous Unit Reference
Car Registrations - Germany 249163.00 294161.00 Units Apr 2026
Electric Car Registrations 200117.00 234532.00 Units Apr 2026

Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Bankruptcies QoQ 0.10 1.60 percent Mar 2026
Business Confidence -8.00 -7.50 points May 2026
Capacity Utilization 77.80 77.90 percent Mar 2026
New Car Registrations YoY 972314.00 1158316.00 Units Apr 2026
Changes in Inventories 29.80 40.93 EUR Billion Dec 2025
Industrial Production -1.00 -0.20 percent Mar 2026
Industrial Production Mom 0.80 0.20 percent Mar 2026
Manufacturing Production -1.30 -0.50 percent Mar 2026
Mining Production 4.20 2.50 percent Mar 2026
Steel Production 11000.00 11400.00 Thousand Tonnes Apr 2026


European Union New Passenger Car Registration
The automotive industry contributes to more than 7% of the European Union's GDP and provides over 13 million jobs.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
972314.00 1158316.00 1890664.00 270682.00 2003 - 2026 Units Monthly
NSA

News Stream
EU Car Registrations Rise 5.1% in April
EU passenger car registrations rose 5.1% year-on-year to 972,314 units in April 2026, marking the third consecutive month of growth but slowing from a 12.5% increase in March. The market continued to benefit from strong consumer demand for electrified vehicles, underpinned by new and revised tax incentives and subsidy schemes across major European countries. Among the bloc’s four largest markets, registrations increased in Germany (2.7%), Italy (11.6%), and Spain (8.4%), while France recorded a slight drop of 0.3%. In the January-April period, new EU car registrations rose 4.2%, despite persistent geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, battery-electric vehicles accounted for 19.7% of the EU market year-to-date, up from 15.3% last year, highlighting continued momentum in the shift toward electrification. Three of the four largest markets, together representing 64% of total BEV registrations, posted strong year-to-date growth, namely Germany (41.3%), France (48.2%), and Italy (73.1%).
2026-05-27
EU Car Registrations Hit More Than 6-Year High
EU passenger car registrations surged 12.5% year-on-year to an over six-year high of 1.2 million units in March 2026, accelerating sharply from 1.4% growth in the previous month, supported by new and revised tax benefits and incentive schemes across major European countries. Growth was seen across the bloc’s four largest markets: Germany (16.0%), France (12.9%), Spain (11.7%), and Italy (7.6%). In the first quarter of the year, new EU car registrations rose 4%, driven largely by March’s strong performance. Meanwhile, the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) segment continued to gain traction, with its market share rising to 19.4% year-to-date from 15.2% a year earlier. In March alone, BEV registrations soared 48.9% year-on-year to 234,532 units, signalling a shift away from combustion engines amid surging fuel costs. Growth was recorded in Italy (72.1%), France (68.8%), Germany (66.2%), and Denmark (48.4%). Last year, total EU car registrations rose 1.8% compared with 2024.
2026-04-23
EU Car Registrations Rise in February
EU passenger car registrations rose 1.4% year-on-year to 865,437 units in February 2026, rebounding from a 3.9% decline in the previous month, supported by growth across most of the bloc’s four largest markets, including Germany (3.8%), Spain (7.5%), and Italy (14.0%). In contrast, France recorded a sharp drop (-14.7%). In the first two months of the year, new EU car registrations edged down 1.2%. Meanwhile, the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) segment continued to gain traction, with its market share rising to 18.8% year-to-date from 15.2% a year earlier. In February alone, BEV registrations jumped 20.6% year-on-year to 158,280 units, driven by strong growth in Germany (28.7%), France (27.8%), Denmark (26.1%), and Italy (81.3%). Last year, total EU car registrations increased 1.8% compared with 2024.
2026-03-24