Battery electric cars capture 24% of Europe’s new car market in June

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for almost one in four new car registrations across Europe in June, as sales surged by 57% year-on-year, according to the latest European Car Market Monitor from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

The report shows that BEVs achieved a 24% share of new car registrations during the month, lifting their market share for the first half of 2026 to 22%. More than one million battery electric cars were registered across Europe during the first six months of the year.

The strong performance was driven largely by Europe’s two biggest automotive markets, Germany and France, where around 30% of all new cars sold in June were fully electric.

Germany recorded a 29% battery electric market share, while plug-in hybrids accounted for a further 11% of registrations, up one percentage point from a year earlier. The ICCT said the growth had been supported by the introduction of EV subsidies for low-income households, with fully electric vehicles accounting for 41% of private buyer registrations during the month.

France matched the momentum, with battery electric vehicles reaching a 30% market share following a 94% increase in EV sales compared with June 2025. Plug-in hybrids represented 7% of the market after growing by 5% year-on-year.

The report noted that recent French government initiatives, including social leasing programmes aimed at lower-income households and a national strategy to reduce oil dependence, have helped accelerate adoption. France has also set a target for two out of every three new cars sold by 2030 to be fully electric.

“This increase can be explained by a combination of factors in an increasingly mature market: a wider and more sophisticated supply of electric models, targeted incentives for broader consumer access and probably also a shift in consumer appetite driven by the oil shock prices.

“All in all, EU and national policies and market readiness are creating a stronger case for car electrification across Europe.”

Growth was also evident across several other major European markets.

Italy and Spain both exceeded a 10% battery electric market share during June, with EV registrations increasing by 86% and 26% respectively.

While Poland remained behind many Western European markets, battery electric vehicles accounted for 5% of new registrations despite a 16% decline in sales compared with a year earlier.

The report also highlighted accelerating adoption across parts of Eastern Europe. Slovenia recorded one of the strongest performances, with battery electric sales rising by 206% year-on-year to capture a 26% market share in June.

Alongside rising vehicle sales, Europe’s charging infrastructure continued to expand rapidly. By the end of June 2026, approximately 1.2 million public charging points had been installed across Europe, with fast-charging infrastructure recording the strongest growth. The number of rapid chargers increased by 29% compared with June 2025, supporting the continued rollout of electric vehicles across the region.

The ICCT said the combination of expanding model choice, improving charging infrastructure, targeted government incentives and growing consumer confidence is helping to accelerate Europe’s transition towards zero-emission mobility.