The Automotive Update: Key trends in new EV sales and used-car transactions
21 May 2026
How have new electric vehicle (EV) sales performed in the first quarter across different regions? What about major European used-car markets? Autovista24 journalist Tom Hooker breaks down the trends in the Automotive Update podcast.
One country appeared to define the results of the global new EV market in the first quarter, but which one? How did the other markets perform? Plus, what happened in major European markets, and how did the different powertrains perform? Listen to the latest episode to find out.
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New EV sales down globally
Sales of new battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) fell globally in the first quarter, EV Volumes’ data reveals. PHEVs, including extended-range electric vehicles, took an 18.7% tumble compared with the first quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, BEVs were only down by 1.6%.
This meant the entire new EV market saw sales decline by 7.6% year on year between January and March. This was driven by a 28.6% decline in China, where 46.4% of all plug-in vehicles were sold in the first quarter.
The US also saw sales fall, down 32.9% year on year. But even as the world’s second-largest volume EV market, it accounted for only 6.2% of plug-in deliveries.
Europe’s EV sales
Europe saw new EV sales increase in the first quarter, up by 28%. This was thanks to some positive regional performances from the likes of Germany, the UK and France. EV sales grew by 33.7% in Germany, 25.2% in the UK and 40.8% in France.
Across Europe, BEVs drove EV sales acceleration in the first quarter. In total, 725,375 all-electric cars were delivered, up 25.4% year on year. This meant the powertrain accounted for over two thirds of all new electric vehicle sales in Europe.
Used-car trends
While new EVs enjoyed a positive first quarter in Europe, the powertrains accounted for a marginal number of used-car transactions. Major used-car markets with powertrain breakdowns revealed how internal-combustion engines (ICE) remain dominant.
In March, France saw used diesel cars account for 42% of transactions and petrol 38%. In Spain, diesel made up 47.8% of used sales in the first quarter and petrol 35.8%. In the UK, petrol remained the most popular used powertrain, making up 56.9% of volumes, while diesel represented 31.2%.
While ICE remained on top, many of these markets saw sales of the fuel types decline year on year. As more used EVs become available, increasing the number of choices for buyers, well-priced models will stand out. With fuel prices remaining high, affordability will be an important consideration before purchase.
