Global EV Demand Rises for Fifth Consecutive Month with 9% Growth in July, Europe Up 33%

BERLIN — Global demand for electric vehicles rose for the fifth consecutive month in July 2026, with sales of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids increasing by 9% year on year to 1.85 million units, according to data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence released on August 13. Total sales since the beginning of the year reached 11.5 million vehicles. The data highlights a sharp regional bifurcation in market performance. European EV sales rose 33% year on year to 450,000 units in July, bringing year-to-date growth to 28%. France led the major European markets with an extraordinary 81% year-on-year increase in July, followed by Germany at 46% and the United Kingdom at 43%. The strong European showing reflects the combined effect of government subsidies, tightening low-emission zones in major cities, and regulatory pressure on fleet operators. China's sales fell 5% year on year to 980,000 vehicles in July. North American sales declined 27% year on year to 140,000 units, a contraction directly attributed to the expiry of federal electric vehicle tax credits in the United States. The contrast is stark: Europe is adding volume at near-record rates while the US market is retreating. The consecutive monthly growth streak in global EV demand — even as China and North America post declines — signals that the structural shift toward electric vehicles is being driven by different engines of growth in different markets rather than uniformly. For European automakers, the data provides reassurance that demand is resilient even as subsidy tapering continues. For policymakers, the US experience offers a cautionary tale about the impact of removing financial incentives before EVs reach cost parity without support.