European car market grows 6.8% in April as EV demand accelerates

Europe’s new passenger car market continued its recovery in April, with registrations rising 6.8% year-on-year to 1.15 million units as demand for electrified vehicles drove growth across the region.

According to the latest data from JATO Dynamics, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and other electrified powertrains accounted for the vast majority of market expansion, while registrations of pure combustion-engine vehicles continued to decline sharply.

Battery electric vehicles remained the strongest growth driver, with registrations surging 38% year-on-year to 254,000 units. As a result, BEVs increased their market share to 22.2%, up from around 17.2% in April 2025.

The growth was supported by both established manufacturers and newer entrants, with models such as the Skoda Elroq and Renault 5 gaining significant traction across European markets.

Meanwhile, registrations of plug-in hybrid vehicles rose 22% to 119,000 units, supported by fleet demand, tax incentives and growing participation from premium and Chinese brands. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) also recorded solid growth, rising 14%, while mild hybrids (MHEVs) increased 11% to 271,000 units, remaining the largest electrified segment by volume.

In contrast, registrations of pure internal combustion engine vehicles fell 16.6% year-on-year, highlighting the continued structural shift towards electrified mobility.

“This is creating a clear divide, with brands that can scale competitive electric models gaining share, and those still reliant on ICE steadily falling behind.”

The performance of individual manufacturers reflected the growing divergence within the market.

Among the strongest-performing brands, Mercedes-Benz increased registrations by 8% year-on-year, supported by demand for electric vehicles including the CLA and strong SUV sales. Chinese manufacturer BYD recorded growth of 75%, while Renault’s registrations rose 64%.

Volkswagen Group retained its position as Europe’s largest automotive group, registering 119,800 vehicles during the month. However, overall registrations slipped marginally by 0.7% year-on-year as declining combustion-engine sales offset gains from its expanding electric vehicle portfolio.

Within the group, Skoda was a standout performer, with registrations increasing 10.7% thanks to strong demand for the Elroq and Enyaq, both of which ranked among Europe’s top-selling electric vehicles.

Audi posted more modest growth of 9%, underperforming some rivals despite continued investment in its electric vehicle range.

JATO said April’s results underline the increasing polarisation within the European automotive market, with growth concentrated among manufacturers successfully scaling electric vehicle production or offering competitive multi-powertrain portfolios.