Will Tesla and BYD EVs keep leading in Europe?
17 April 2026
As new electric-vehicle (EV) sales continued to climb in Europe, two models have taken an early lead. But just how close is the competition? Tom Hooker, Autovista 24 journalist, reviews the figures.
Europe’s new EV market managed a 21.4% year-on-year growth in February. A total of 289,194 models were delivered in the month, according to EV Volumes. This was just 198 units more than in January. Over the first two months of 2026, EV sales increased by 20%, with 578,190 sales.
However, splitting the EV market into its two respective powertrains reveals unequal growth. While plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) saw greater improvements, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) continued to record significantly higher volumes.
PHEVs posted a 34.8% year-on-year increase to 97,104 units in February. This contrasted significantly with 12 months prior, when deliveries dropped by 1.4%. From January to February, new PHEV sales rose by 33.7% to 198,006 units.
However, this sales figure was still 182,178 deliveries behind BEVs for the first two months of 2026. In this period, all-electric models enjoyed a smaller double-digit increase of 14% to 380,184 units. February alone saw a 15.6% year-on-year rise to 192,090 sales.
Tesla tops BEV market in Europe
The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling BEV in Europe in February and the cumulative figures. It was also the continent’s best-selling EV, with over double the volume of Europe’s most popular PHEV in February.
The crossover recorded 10,717 sales in February, outpacing the market’s growth with a 21.6% year-on-year improvement. This translated to a 5.6% share of Europe’s BEV market, up 0.3 percentage points (pp) from February 2025.
Between January and February, its market share was 1pp lower. Yet it still led the BEV best-sellers table, thanks to 17,544 deliveries. Just 635 units behind was the Skoda Elroq, which managed 16,909 sales, and a 4.4% share.
In February, the SUV recorded 8,560 sales, trailing the Tesla Model Y by 2,157 units. However, the Elroq still enjoyed a 462% year-on-year increase in deliveries.
The Skoda Enyaq followed in third, a further 2,134 units behind its sibling. The BEV posted a 17.2% year-on-year increase in February to 6,426 deliveries. After two months of 2026, it sat fourth in the cumulative figures.
Meanwhile, fourth in February went to the Tesla Model 3. On the surface, this seemed like a poor result, with a 7.8% drop in deliveries to 6,329 units. However, it marked a significant recovery from January. The sedan’s 1,105-unit total in the month marked its lowest sales figure since July 2022.
Combined, the Renault 5 and Alpine A290 finished fifth in February. Yet the hatchbacks suffered a 0.5% dip in volumes to 6,265 units. After the first two months of 2026, the duo sat third in the best-sellers table with a 3.8% market share.
Leapmotor’s record result
The Leapmotor T03 provided a surprise in February. The city car achieved a record monthly sales total of 6,111 units, taking sixth in the best-sellers table. This ensured a 655.4% year-on year jump in deliveries.
Across January and February, the model recorded 8,080 deliveries, making it the eighth most popular all-electric model in the period.
Behind the A-segment model were four more familiar faces in Europe’s all-electric market. The Volkswagen (VW) ID.4 claimed seventh in February, with 5,159 deliveries. However, this equated to a 15% drop on 12 months prior. The BEV sat sixth in the cumulative table between January and February.
Eighth in February’s standings went to the VW ID.3. The hatchback suffered a 10% fall to 4,860 sales, bringing its total volume in 2026 to 10,336 units. This was enough for fifth in the year-to-date best-sellers table.
The VW ID.7 was ninth in February, after a steeper 24.2% year-on-year drop to 4,093 sales. This left it seventh in the cumulative chart.
Rounding out February’s top 10 was the Audi Q4 e-tron, with its 3,914-unit total down 21.9%. The SUV was also the 10th best-selling BEV after two months of 2026.
This meant that alongside the top three best-selling models, only the Leapmotor T03 managed year-on-year growth in February.
BYD dominates PHEV market in Europe
Two months into 2026, the BYD Seal U led Europe’s new PHEV market. The SUV was comfortably out ahead with a 5.2% market share thanks to 5,029 sales. This translated to a 130.9% improvement year on year.
The BYD Seal U’s dominance proved even more profound in the cumulative standings. It took a 5.9% share of all PHEV deliveries between January and February, with 11,732 deliveries.
This was 4,197 units ahead of the VW Tiguan, which took second after two months of 2026. Out of the models’ 7,535 sales so far this year, 4,007 were recorded in February alone. This ensured 10.1% growth year on year. It also placed second in the monthly chart.
Volvo and Ford suffer declines
The Volvo XC60 took third in February, with a 10.9% decline to 3,594 deliveries. The SUV also claimed third in the cumulative table, with 7,244 units. Fourth in February went to the Ford Kuga, which also suffered a delivery drop. It saw a 11.9% fall to 3,160 sales, punching above its standing in the year-to-date table of sixth.
The Mercedes-Benz GLC finished fifth in February, thanks to a 78.9% year-on-year surge to 3,059 sales. The PHEV also took fifth in the cumulative chart.
Next were two BMW models: the X3 and X1. The former secured sixth with a 48.9% rise to 2,827 deliveries. Meanwhile, the BMW X1 posted a smaller increase of 6.4% to 2,786 sales, enough for seventh in the best-sellers table. The X1 took ninth in the cumulative standings, while the X3 slotted into seventh.
Contrasting performances for Chinese models
The Jaecoo J7 took eighth in February’s chart. Volumes soared by 447% year on year to 2,779 sales, taking a 2.9% share of the market. The PHEV sat fourth after two months of 2026, with 7,075 deliveries.
Toyota’s C-HR took ninth in February, despite a 21.7% year-on-year drop to 2,373 sales. The SUV placed eighth in the cumulative table.
BYD placed two PHEVs in the European monthly top 10. This was thanks to the BYD Atto 2’s surging performance, which allowed the brand to bookend the table. The model first recorded European sales in October 2025, with a previous best of 85 units in January.
