EU passenger car registrations rose by 9.3% year-on-year to a three-month high of 971,048 units in September 2026, marking the eighth consecutive month of growth and accelerating from a 4.5% increase in August. The market continued to be supported by strong consumer demand for a broad range of electrified vehicles, underpinned primarily by policy support measures and an expanding model line-up.
The bloc’s four largest markets all posted solid gains: France (11.6%), Spain (10.2%), Italy (9.8%), and Germany (9.0%). Over the first nine months of 2026, new EU car registrations increased by 5.7%, despite a challenging macroeconomic backdrop, ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, and mounting energy costs.
Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 22.7% of the EU market, underscoring the continued momentum of the shift toward electrification. The three largest markets—France, Germany, and Denmark—together made up 64% of total BEV registrations and recorded robust growth of 79.1%, 58.1%, and 40.3%, respectively.
