Global electric vehicle (EV) sales rose by 8% in October, with a notable 49% increase in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales across Europe. In North America, EV sales marked their first year-over-year increase in 2026, although still facing significant challenges.
According to data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, 2.09 million EVs were sold worldwide last month, down 3% from September, but totaling 17.5 million for the first ten months of 2026—a 5% increase from the same timeframe last year.
| Region | Oct-26, million | y-o-y | m-o-m | YTD, millions | YTD-26 vs YTD-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 1.14 | -12% | 5% | 9.1 | -11% |
| Europe | 0.51 | 36% | -17% | 4.5 | 31% |
| North America | 0.13 | 24% | 0% | 1.3 | -21% |
| RoW | 0.30 | 85% | -2% | 2.6 | 93% |
| Global | 2.09 | 8% | -3% | 17.5 | 5% |
In Europe, approximately 510,000 EVs were sold in October, reflecting a 36% year-over-year increase. BEV sales accounted for a remarkable 49% growth, while plug-in hybrid sales rose by 7%. The total EV sales for the year in Europe are 4.5 million, marking a 31% increase compared to 2025.
Sales were down by 17% from the previous month, likely influenced by factors like the UK’s biannual registration plate change, which tends to boost sales in September.
Germany reported that EVs made up over 45% of new car registrations, a high not seen since December 2022. Fully electric vehicle sales in Germany surged nearly 80% year-on-year, exceeding 95,000 vehicles.
The UK also saw significant growth, with a 30% increase in EV sales, while Portugal’s EV sales constituted 55% of new vehicle sales in October, reflective of a rapid rise in market share.
In North America, EV sales reached approximately 130,000 in October, a 24% increase year-over-year. Despite this, sales remained stable compared to September, bringing 2026’s total to 1.3 million EVs sold so far. Analysts noted that October 2025 saw a sharp drop in sales after the federal EV tax credit expired, which complicates the year-over-year comparison.
China sold 1.14 million EVs in October, up from September but down 12% from the same month last year. While sales are declining year-over-year, the market share for EVs in China reached a new record due to a shrinking overall vehicle market. Exports of new energy vehicles from China also surged to nearly 600,000, reflecting ongoing production efforts despite anticipated challenges from regulatory changes in the EU.
Elsewhere, sales in markets outside China, Europe, and North America jumped 85% to 300,000 units in October, with total sales reaching 2.6 million for the year—up 93% compared to the previous year. Australia saw over a 200% increase, though the landscape remains competitive and profit margins tight due to a growing number of brands entering the market.
