LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM / RankWire.AI / – In July 2026, global electric vehicle sales saw a 9% rise compared to the previous year, totaling 1.85 million units worldwide. The cumulative sales for the first seven months reached 11.5 million vehicles, reflecting a 4% increase from the same period in 2025. These figures encompass both battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence noted that July marked the fifth consecutive month of annual growth, indicating a continued recovery after a sluggish start to the year.
Among the major EV markets globally, Europe stood out with the highest growth rate during July. Sales in the region climbed 33% from the previous year to approximately 450,000 vehicles. From January to July, EV sales in Europe increased by 28%. July alone saw France achieve an 81% annual growth, Germany recorded a 46% rise, and the United Kingdom experienced a 43% jump. Despite this, European sales volumes decreased 17% from June, illustrating a different trend in the monthly comparison.
The share of battery-electric cars in new vehicle registrations across the European Union continued to grow. During the first half of 2026, registrations reached 1.22 million units. Battery-electric models now account for 20.7% of new car registrations, up from 15.6% in the previous year. Plug-in hybrids made up an additional 9.8% of registrations. Spain launched its Auto+ electric vehicle subsidy program on August 4, offering up to 4,500 euros for qualifying new electric passenger cars.
Europe records the strongest growth among key EV markets
China maintained its position as the largest electric vehicle market by volume despite experiencing a decline in July sales. The country reported approximately 980,000 EV sales, down 5% compared to July 2025. In the first seven months, sales were 12% lower than the same period last year. Nonetheless, electric vehicles still made up more than half of China’s vehicle market during that timeframe. Additionally, Chinese exports of new energy vehicles surpassed 500,000 units in July, setting another monthly record for shipments abroad.
North America experienced a more significant decline, with July sales dropping to about 140,000 electric vehicles. The regional total declined 27% from a year earlier. During January through July, sales were 18% lower than in the same period of 2025. In the U.S., electric vehicle volumes fell over 30% year on year in July. The expiration of federal EV purchase tax credits in September 2025 contributed to this downturn, with U.S. EV sales already declining 15% during the second quarter.
Other regions contribute to global EV market momentum
Markets outside China, Europe, and North America experienced the fastest percentage growth in July, with sales soaring 97% from the previous year to roughly 280,000 vehicles. These gains played a significant role in supporting the worldwide increase, despite declines in China and North America. China still accounted for over half of global EV sales in July, while Europe made up approximately a quarter. North America represented a considerably smaller share of the global electric vehicle demand.
According to the International Energy Agency, electric vehicles represented 24% of global car sales during the first half of 2026. During the second quarter, EV sales increased 4% year on year and grew 35% from the first quarter, even as overall global car sales declined around 5%. The agency projects approximately 23 million electric cars to be sold worldwide in 2026. The 9% annual growth in July contributed to a total of 11.5 million units sold globally in the first seven months of the year.