LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM / RankWire.AI / – Global electric vehicle sales experienced a 9% rise year on year in July 2026, reaching a total of 1.85 million units. This upturn pushed the worldwide tally for the first seven months to 11.5 million vehicles, a 4% increase compared to 2025. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence released its latest figures on Aug. 13, which include battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. July’s figures also marked the fifth consecutive month of annual growth in global EV demand following a sluggish start to 2026.
Among the major EV markets, Europe experienced the most significant growth in July. Sales in the region surged 33% from the previous year to approximately 450,000 units. During the first seven months of 2026, sales increased by 28%. France saw an 81% yearly growth in July and achieved a 37% EV penetration rate. Germany’s sales grew by 46%, while the United Kingdom reported a 43% increase. Despite the growth, European EV sales in July were 17% lower than in June.
Battery-electric vehicle registrations continued to expand their market share across Europe during the first half of 2026. The European Union recorded 1.22 million new registrations, representing 20.7% of all new cars, up from 15.6% in the same period last year. Plug-in hybrids made up an additional 9.8% of new registrations. Spain launched its Auto+ electric vehicle subsidy program on Aug. 4, offering up to 4,500 euros for qualifying new electric passenger cars.
Europe outpaces China in July growth as the latter experiences a slowdown
China continued to be the world’s top electric vehicle market by monthly volume despite a decline in July. Sales decreased by 5% from the previous year to around 980,000 vehicles. From January through July, Chinese EV sales were 12% below the same period in 2025. During the first seven months, electric vehicles still accounted for over half of China’s total vehicle market. Additionally, Chinese exports of new energy vehicles surpassed 500,000 units in July, setting a monthly export record once again.
In contrast, North American EV sales declined significantly. The region reported approximately 140,000 units sold in July, down 27% from the previous year, with sales during the first seven months of 2026 falling 18%. In the United States, July EV sales dropped over 30% compared to the same month last year, a consequence of the expiration of federal purchase tax credits in September 2025. During the second quarter, U.S. EV sales declined by 15% year on year.
Marked differences in EV sales trends emerge across regions
Markets outside China, Europe, and North America experienced the most rapid percentage growth in July. EV sales in these areas jumped 97% compared to the previous year, totaling roughly 280,000 units. This surge contributed to overall global volumes, despite two out of three largest regional markets seeing annual declines. China remained the dominant contributor, making up more than half of the July global EV sales volume, while Europe accounted for approximately one-quarter. North America’s share of the global electric vehicle market remained considerably smaller.
Looking at broader data for 2026, electric vehicles are capturing a bigger portion of overall car demand. According to the International Energy Agency, EVs represented 24% of global car sales during the first half of the year. During the second quarter, electric vehicle sales increased by 4% compared to the same period last year and surged 35% from the first quarter. Overall, global car sales declined by about 5% in the first half. Against this context, July’s 9% rise in EV sales helped bring the total global electric vehicle sales for 2026 to 11.5 million units.