Further EU new-car market growth in May

23 June 2026

May delivered another month of growth for the EU new-car market. But while electric vehicle (EV) sales remained strong, some larger markets saw weaker results. Autovista24 content specialist James Roberts assesses the latest data.

In May, 955,013 new cars were registered in the EU, according to the latest ACEA data. This equated to a 3.2% year-on-year increase in volumes. The month saw 20 of the 27 EU member states record overall market growth. However, while some of the bloc’s larger markets saw a welcome boost, others faltered.

May’s strong result helped facilitate a generally positive performance for the EU new-car market in the year to date. Five months into 2026, 4,748,801 new vehicles were sold. This ensured a 4% year-on-year lift.

Mixed EU market fortunes in May

Despite a fourth consecutive month of increased registrations, Germany, the bloc’s largest market, underperformed in May. With fewer working days than in May 2025, the country’s new-car market recorded just 0.1% growth. This followed the official rollout of new EV incentives.

Spain encountered a rare monthly decline in May. Increasingly recording positive results, the country’s new-car market dipped by 0.8%. Thanks to earlier results, it saw registration growth of 5.8% across the first five months of the year.

As Spain faltered, the previously stuttering French new-car market returned from the doldrums in May. Recording a second consecutive month of growth, registrations rose 3.7%, as battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales in particular, provided a boost.

Similarly, Italy enjoyed BEV uptake in May. The country’s overall new-car market saw a 7.6% lift. Following a difficult 2025, this helped support a year-on-year volume increase of 9.4% in the year to date.

BEVs closing the gap

May saw 203,417 new BEVs join EU roads. This marked a unit increase of 42.9% year on year. It also helped the powertrain capture 21.3% of the market, just 0.7 percentage points (pp) behind petrol‘s share. As ACEA noted, this reflects the positive effect of the region’s patchwork of tax benefits and new EV purchase incentives.

After five months of the year, BEV volumes stood at 950,521. This 35.7% upswing helped carve out a market share of 20%, the highest so far in 2026, up 4.7pp year on year.

Of the EU’s larger markets, France witnessed a 92.7% spike, as 37,412 new all-electric vehicles joined the country’s roads. The powertrain was also integral to growth in Italy, with an 86.5% year-on-year improvement.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands’ BEV sector received a jolt. Volumes increased 22.4% year on year, up from 10,103 units to 12,363. However, after five months of the year, the Dutch BEV market was down 9.7%, compared with 12 months prior.

Amid recently announced EV incentives, Ireland enjoyed a BEV registration uplift. In May 2,328 new all-electric cars took to the nation’s roads. This marked a 114.4% year-on-year lift, aiding a 53.8% rise in the year to date. Croatia continued its impressive BEV market growth. May ensured a bumper 494.5% year-on-year increase, underpinning a small but vibrant marketplace.

A notable contrast to trending BEV growth was seen in Poland. May marked a rare and sizeable year-on-year drop in volumes. A total of 2,015 deliveries was down 28.5%, however, after five months of the year, BEV registrations were up 28.2%.

Steady EU PHEV demand

A total of 98,553 plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) joined EU roads in May. This ensured a 12.2% year-on-year increase, plus a 10.3% market share, up 0.8pp compared with 12 months prior. Spanning the opening five months of the year, PHEV popularity remained sturdy. A total of 460,217 registrations returned a 9.7% market share, up 1.4pp.

Combining strong BEV figures with steady PHEV volumes once again ensured the combined EVs outperformed internal-combustion engine (ICE) sales. May saw 301,970 new EVs reach EU customers, outselling a combination of petrol and diesel vehicles, which totalled 279,865. This meant EVs took a 31.6% market share, 2.3pp ahead of ICE models.

After five months of 2026, the ICE share in the EU’s new-car market remained just 0.4pp ahead of EV totals. June’s new-car market figures could show plug-in vehicles surpassing ICE models.

Hybrids on top but levelling out

Long established as the EU’s new-car powertrain of choice, hybrids, including mild and full-hybrid versions, led the way in May. However, marginal declines in its overall new-car market share continued as EV uptake increased.

May saw 345,427 new hybrids take to the EU’s roads. This ensured a 9.7% year-on-year increase, maintaining its position as the bloc’s dominant powertrain with a 36.2% hold, up 2.2pp. However, since February, the presence of hybrids in the EU market has followed a downward trend.

Between February and May, hybrid’s EU new-car market share slipped from 38.7% to 36.2%. The big question is how much further it could slide throughout the remainder of 2026.

ICE falls amid petrol resilience

The decline of ICE powertrains, made up of petrol and diesel-powered cars, has become an established EU new-car market trend.

In May, just four of the 27 EU member states saw petrol registration growth. Overall, 210,383 new vehicles were powered by the fuel in the month, a 20.1% year-on-year fall. Despite this, petrol still achieved a relatively strong 22% market share, 0.7pp above BEVs, albeit down 6.4pp year on year.

Between January and May, 1,065,071 new petrol vehicles were registered in the EU, a year-on-year fall of 18.2%. Despite a market share decline of 6.1pp to 22.4%, it remained the EU’s second most popular new-car option.

Diesel’s decline continued in May. 69,482 new cars left the EU’s forecourts, marking a 19% year-on-year volume drop and returning a market share of 7.3%.

Across the first five months of the year, diesel sales reached 361,971, down 16.6%, dropping its market share 1.9pp to 7.6%. In this period, just Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia and Malta recorded year-on-year improvements.

New-car ICE totals, combining petrol and diesel registrations, amounted to 1,427,042 between January and May. This equated to a 17.8% slide, and just 16,304 units above EV volumes. So, new ICE vehicles took a 30.1% market share in the year to date, just 0.4pp above new EV sales. The coming months are likely to see a further shift in this crucial EU new-car market dynamic.