A symbolic threshold has been crossed: petrol-only cars have fallen below 50 percent of new vehicle sales globally for the first time, as hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles collectively take the majority of the market.
The milestone reflects years of steady electrification outside the United States, where China and Europe have driven adoption through regulation, incentives and an expanding model lineup. Plug-in hybrids in particular have surged, giving hesitant buyers a bridge technology that still counts toward electrified sales.
The United States tells a different story. New EV share in the U.S. market remains stuck at around 6 percent, held back by thinner incentives, higher price points and uneven charging coverage. The gap between the global trend and the American market is now one of the widest on record.
Analysts say the divergence matters because the U.S. remains the world's second-largest car market. If American adoption stays flat while the rest of the world electrifies, automakers will increasingly tailor their lineups for markets that are moving faster.
