EU Car Registrations Rise in February

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%).

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.

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.