New-car struggles continue in France despite BEV push

03 March 2026

The new-car market in France endured a slow start to 2026, as February saw a dramatic drop in registrations. But which powertrains caused the market to sink, and could this trend continue? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the data.

In total, 120,764 new passenger cars were registered in February, figures reported by the PFA and AAA Data show. This was a drop of 14.7% compared to the same period in 2025.

This was the steepest slide in volumes since the 24.3% decline recorded in August 2024. It is also the fourth consecutive month of registration decreases. February’s result means that after just two months of 2026, deliveries were down 11.1% in the year to date.

Are BEVs running out of momentum?

Volumes of electric vehicles (EVs), incorporating plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), kept the French market from sinking further. However, natural market demand for these powertrains was obscured by the country’s incentive and social leasing programmes.

EV orders using the social leasing scheme began on 30 September 2025. Meanwhile, the country’s ecological bonus incentive scheme was restructured in July 2025, with a change in funding provision.

Both schemes had an impact on a struggling BEV market. It recorded double-digit growth since July, after wavering in its consistency beforehand.

With the launch of social leasing in October, BEV volumes have increased, after a rollercoaster period of results. In that month, deliveries rose by over 60%, following increases exceeding 40% in both November and December. This year started with an improvement of over 50%.

However, there were signs that the incentive momentum may be slowing. In February, 32,372 new BEVs were registered, according to Autovista24 analysis of PFA and ACEA data. This was a 27.8% increase year on year, the smallest volume improvement since September 2025.

The all-electric powertrain took a 26.8% market share in February, a jump of 8.9 percentage points (pp). Despite the lower growth, momentum remains with the technology in the French new-car market. After two months, BEVs have established themselves as the country’s second-best-selling powertrain, after hybrids.

So far in 2026, a total of 62,679 all-electric models have been delivered to customers, up 38.5% year on year. This means the powertrain accounted for 27.5% of all registrations in the country, up 9.8pp.

PHEVs see growth in France

While BEVs flew, PHEVs also helped the French new-car market from sinking further. In February, 6,655 new plug-in hybrids made their way to the country’s roads, a 3.2% rise.

The result gave PHEVs a 5.5% market share, up 0.9pp compared to the same month last year. This was also the first time since December 2024 that the powertrain recorded an improvement in volumes. Yet rather than an increased interest, the result may have more to do with last year’s poor performance.

In February 2025, PHEV volumes were down 45%, as the market struggled. Double-digit declines were recorded across the first half of 2025 and during the final quarter of the year.

This appears to have reset the plug-in hybrid market. January 2026 saw a stable result, with volumes down only 0.6% year on year. February’s figures may give hope that PHEVs can help reduce overall losses seen elsewhere.

Across the first two months of the year, France’s PHEV market was up by 1.5%, with 11,476 units delivered. This equated to a 5% share, up 0.6pp.

Combining BEV and PHEV figures, France’s EV market rose by 22.8% in February, with 39,027 deliveries, according to Autovista24 calculations. The 32.3% share was up 9.8pp, and almost doubled that achieved by internal-combustion engine (ICE) models. After two months, EV deliveries were up 31.1%, with a 10.4pp increase in market share to 32.5%.

Petrol providing headache for France

The incentive-aided improvement in the EV market was not enough to make up for the shortfall in ICE registrations, which are pulling the French market down. For the second month in a row, deliveries of petrol-powered passenger cars fell by nearly half year on year. February saw registrations collapse by 48.1%.

February’s petrol result meant the powertrain represented 15.1% of total deliveries in the month. This was a drop of 9.7pp compared to the same month in 2025. Between January and February, petrol deliveries were down 48.5%. This left the fuel type with a market share of 14.7%, down by 10.7pp.

Diesel fared no better with registrations down 53.8%, although with lower volumes, as 3,098 units were delivered in the month. With a 2.6% market share, the powertrain is floundering below other major technologies.

Just 5,619 units were registered in the first two months of the year, a 51.8% decline. This gave diesel a 2.5% market share, dropping 2.1pp compared to the first two months of 2025.

Combining petrol and diesel deliveries highlights the issues that France is facing in its new-car market. With 21,304 registrations, volumes dropped 49.1% during February. That figure gave the grouping a 17.6% market share, falling 11.9pp.

After two months of 2025, ICE volumes declined 49%, with 39,151 units leaving dealer forecourts. The 17.2% share of total registrations was down 12.8pp.

Hybrid slowdown in France

While petrol and diesel declines had a debilitating effect on the French new-car market, hybrids also struggled. In February, 56,538 new hybrids were registered, including full and mild versions, according to Autovista24 analysis of PFA data. This was a drop of 9% year on year. The market appears to have slowed, following rapid rises seen across 2025.

February’s result was the first decline in the market for quite some time. This suggests that the market may have peaked. Yet it still dominated French registration figures, with a 46.8% market share in the month. This was up, but only by 2.9pp, as results elsewhere declined.

Two months into 2026, hybrids recorded 108,061 registrations, according to PFA data. This was a drop of 4.9%, compared to the same period in 2025. Yet their market share of 47.4% was up 3.1pp, and considerably higher than any other powertrain.

ICE powertrains are acting like a weight, pulling the overall performance of the French new-car market down. Without the powertrain, the market would still have declined, but by a marginal 0.3% in February, according to Autovista24 analysis.