LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM / RankWire.AI / – The global market for electric vehicles experienced a 9% growth in sales during July 2026, reaching 1.85 million units. This uptick contributed to a total of 11.5 million vehicles sold in the first seven months of the year, representing a 4% increase compared to 2025. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence released the latest statistics on Aug. 13, covering both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models. July marked the fifth consecutive month of year-on-year growth in global EV demand, following a sluggish start to 2026.
Among the major markets, Europe showed the most significant progress in July, with EV sales climbing 33% from the previous year to roughly 450,000 units. The region’s sales volume increased by 28% over the first seven months of 2026. France saw an 81% year-on-year surge in July, reaching a 37% EV penetration rate. Germany reported a 46% growth, while the United Kingdom experienced a 43% rise. Despite these gains, European EV sales in July were 17% lower compared to June.
Battery-electric vehicles continued their expansion in Europe during the first half of 2026, with registrations totaling 1.22 million units across the European Union, making up 20.7% of new car registrations. This is a significant increase from 15.6% in the same period last year. Plug-in hybrid models contributed an additional 9.8% of registrations. Spain launched its Auto+ electric vehicle subsidy program on Aug. 4, offering up to 4,500 euros for eligible new electric passenger cars.
Europe leads July growth while China experiences a dip
Despite a decline in July, China remained the top electric vehicle market globally by monthly volume, with sales dropping 5% year-on-year to approximately 980,000 units. From January to July, Chinese EV sales were 12% below the same period in 2025. Nonetheless, electric vehicles still accounted for more than half of China’s vehicle market in the first seven months. Additionally, Chinese exports of new energy vehicles exceeded 500,000 units in July, setting another monthly export record.
In contrast, North America saw a decline in EV sales during July, with roughly 140,000 units sold, representing a 27% decrease from the previous year. The first seven months of 2026 also experienced an 18% drop in EV sales. In the U.S., July EV volumes fell over 30% compared to the same month last year, following the expiration of federal purchase tax credits in September 2025. During the second quarter, U.S. EV sales declined 15% year-on-year.
Regional differences in EV sales trends are significant
Markets outside China, Europe, and North America demonstrated the highest percentage growth in July, with sales rising 97% year-on-year to approximately 280,000 units. These increases contributed to the overall global figures, although two of the three largest regional markets experienced annual declines. China still represented over half of all EV sales worldwide in July. Europe made up about a quarter of the volume, while North America remained a considerably smaller segment of the global electric vehicle market.
Looking at broader 2026 data, electric vehicles are capturing an increasing share of overall car demand. The International Energy Agency indicated that EVs accounted for 24% of global car sales in the first half. During the second quarter, electric vehicle sales rose 4% year-on-year and grew 35% from the first quarter. Meanwhile, global car sales declined by approximately 5% during the same period. Against this backdrop, July’s 9% growth in EV sales brought the total number of electric vehicles sold globally in 2026 to 11.5 million units.