How are major markets influencing global EV sales results?
21 April 2026
Total new electric vehicle (EV) sales fell across the world in February. But which markets and models drove this result? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus explores EV Volumes’ latest data.
Sales of new EVs, including battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), fell globally in February. Combined, 1,014,980 plug-in units took to the roads, down by 16.5% year on year, according to the latest data from EV Volumes.
Figures for the first two months of the year were cushioned by a less severe 9.5% drop in January. This still equated to a cumulative year-on-year decline of 12.6%, as volumes of EVs reached 2,179,155 units.
Of the two powertrains, PHEV sales saw a greater decline. Including extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), deliveries fell by 20.6% across the first two months of the year to 715,698 units. In February alone, the powertrain recorded a 22% drop in volumes to 328,243 units. However, PHEVs only accounted for 32.3% of EV sales in the month, with fully-electric cars accounting for over two thirds.
BEV deliveries saw a relatively smaller 13.6% decline. This meant 686,737 newly sold cars featured all-electric technology in February. Across the first two months of 2026, this tallied to 1,463,457 units, down 8.1% year on year.
Regional EV performance
China, as the world’s biggest EV market by volume, led a trend of declines for both powertrains in February. While Chinese New Year fell on 17 February, the sales decreases surpassed a seasonal effect.
EV Volumes confirmed BEVs, PHEVs and fuel-cell EVs were omitted from the country’s strategic five-year development plan for emerging industries. Additionally, EVs are no longer exempt from purchase tax, with a 2026 rate of 5% and 10% from 2027 onwards. The end of the national EV subsidy scheme and suspension of scrappage programmes in several cities also compounded this effect.
Across January and February, China saw deliveries of PHEVS fall by 37.9% year on year. With 54.6% of the technology’s sales occurring in the country, this was a driving factor behind the global decline.
Among the world’s other big PHEV markets, the US also saw a decline, with 51.4% fewer new models leaving forecourts. However, the country only represented 3.5% of the market across January and February. Global figures were helped by strong growth in Germany, the UK and Italy.
Parallel BEV performance
The global BEV market was broadly parallel, with 41.6% of the powertrain’s sales occurring in China. Over the first two months of 2026, deliveries of the technology declined by 29.7% year on year in the country.
The US also struggled with BEV sales in the first two months of the year, with deliveries down by 32.4%. As the second-biggest global market for all-electric technology, this added to the overall decline.
However, the figures were helped by good performances in Europe. Germany and France both posted double-digit improvements, while the UK avoided a drop, according to EV Volumes data.
Tesla Model Y out in front
The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling BEV across the world in February, delivering 68,556 units. This represented a year-on-year increase of 34.8%, as its market share climbed by 3.6 percentage points (pp) to 10%.
The positive result pushed the model’s market share to 8.4% in the first two months of 2026. This gave it a sizeable lead over second place.
February’s chart saw the Tesla Model 3 take second, despite its sales dropping 21.2% to 31,189 units. It accounted for 4.5% of global BEV deliveries, down 0.5pp from February 2025. This put it in third two months into the year, with 47,409 sales equating to a 3.2% market share.
The BYD Seagull, also known as the Dolphin Surf in some markets, finished third in February. Its deliveries dropped by 33.4% to 20,600 units, meaning its market share slid by 0.9pp to 3%. Despite a weak January, the model still held a 2.6% share across the first two months of the year, putting it in fourth.
Thanks to a good domestic result, the Xiaomi YU7 was the fourth-best-selling new BEV across the world in February. It saw 20,131 sales and a 2.9% market share. With a similar strong run in January, the Chinese model sat second in the cumulative chart. Despite being 64,951 units behind first, this was impressive for a model which first recorded deliveries in June 2025.
A more recent arrival, the Li Auto I6 took fifth in February after launching in September last year. Its 15,997 units represented 2.3% of all new BEV sales. It also took fifth across the first two months of 2026 with a slightly smaller share of 2.2%.
Highs and lows
The second half of February’s global BEV table saw the Geely Geome Xingyuan, also known as the EX2, come sixth. However, its 13,596 sales were down 52.4% year on year. This meant its market share slipped from 3.6% to 2%. The model took a 2.1% share in the cumulative results with 30,038 sales.
The Nio ES8, also known as the EL8, took seventh in February. Its deliveries climbed by 2321.7% to 11,818 units. It accounted for 1.7% of all BEV sales, up 1.6pp. This put it ahead of the Geely Geome Xingyuan between January and February, with 30,374 units moved and a 2.1% market share.
In the monthly results, the Toyota bZ4X was eighth with its sales rising by 154.1% to 11,203 units. It claimed a 1.6% share, up 1pp. This put its cumulative hold on the market at 1.4% after a weaker January.
Two BYD models closed out February’s table. The BYD Yuan Up, also known as the Atto 2, came ninth with 10,035 deliveries, down 38.7%. Its share slumped by 0.6pp to 1.5%. The model closed out the cumulative table in 10th with a 1.4% share.
The BYD Dolphin was next, seeing a more gradual sales decline of 4.6% to 9,761 units. This gave it a 1.4% grip on the market, up 0.1pp. The BEV came eighth across January and February with a 1.7% share.
BYD takes top two
The BYD Song Pro was the best-selling new PHEV across the world in February. It recorded 13,130 deliveries, which was down 33.5% year on year as its market share shrank by 0.7pp to 4%. It took second across the first two months of the year with a 3.7% grip on the global PHEV market.
The BYD Song Plus, also known as the Seal U, felt an even sharper decline. With results dropping 57.5%, it recorded 11,183 sales. The model accounted for 3.4% of all PHEV deliveries, down from 6.3% in February 2025. It came third in the cumulative table with a 3.6% share.
Not far behind in February was the Fang Cheng Bao Tai 7. First recording sales in the second half of 2025, it counted 11,078 deliveries in February, taking a share of 3.4%. However, it took first place and a 4% share across the first two months of 2026.
Fourth in February was the BYD Seal 6. Its sales dropped by 48.7% to 6,489 units. This drove its share down to 2% from 3% a year prior. The Aito M7 was close behind as its sales climbed by 24.5% to 6,479 units. This sent its share upwards by 0.8pp to 2% in the month.
Established models see declines
With 6,120 sales, deliveries of the BYD Qin Plus were down by 63.4%. Its share dropped by more than half to 1.9%. The Li Auto L6 was seventh with a 1.6% hold over the market, down from 3.1% a year earlier. It recorded 5,190 units, down by 60.6%.
First recording sales in September 2025, the Zeekr 9X managed 5,095 sales, taking a 1.6% share. The Jaecoo J7 strengthened its grip on the market by 1.1pp to 1.5%. This was thanks to a sales increase of 170.4% to 4,945 units.
The only European model in the PHEV top 10 was the Volvo XC60. It managed 4,772 sales in February, down by 22.3% year on year. However, it was able to maintain its 1.5% market share.
