Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) adoption in Europe accelerated sharply in September 2026. Data published by E-Mobility Europe on 20-22 October show that 300,202 new BEVs were registered across 17 tracked markets, a 70% increase compared with a year earlier. Electric cars accounted for 32.6% of all new car registrations - the highest monthly share ever recorded, up from around 20% a year ago. France and Germany nearly doubled their BEV volumes, while the Netherlands (+85%), Portugal (+87%) and Belgium (which crossed 50% for the first time) posted standout gains. For the year to date, 1.96 million BEVs have been registered, up 38.1% versus the same period in 2025. The momentum comes as France and Germany push to soften the EU's 2035 zero-emission target ahead of a November parliamentary vote, even as the underlying data point the opposite way. Separate figures from Transport & Environment put the EU BEV share at 27% in the third quarter, 44% above petrol for the first time.
Sources: E-Mobility Europe; Transport & Environment; ACEA.
