LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM / RankWire.AI / – Global electric vehicle sales increased by 9% year on year in July 2026, reaching 1.85 million units. This growth pushed the total for the first seven months of 2026 to 11.5 million vehicles, a 4% rise compared to 2025. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence provided these latest figures on Aug. 13. Their data includes both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. July also marked the fifth month in a row of annual growth in global EV demand after a sluggish start to 2026.
Europe experienced the strongest growth among the leading EV markets in July. Sales there jumped 33% from the previous year, totaling approximately 450,000 units. During the first seven months of 2026, sales increased by 28%. France saw an 81% annual increase in July and reached a 37% EV market share. Germany’s growth was 46%, while the United Kingdom reported a 43% rise. However, European EV sales in July were 17% lower than in June.
Battery-electric cars continued to gain traction across Europe early in 2026. Registrations hit 1.22 million units within the European Union, making up 20.7% of new car registrations. This is an increase from 15.6% during the same period last year. Plug-in hybrids represented another 9.8% of registrations. Spain launched its Auto+ electric vehicle subsidy program on Aug. 4. The initiative offers up to 4,500 euros for eligible new electric passenger cars.
Europe leads July growth while China experiences a slowdown
China remained the largest electric vehicle market globally by monthly volume despite a decline in July. Sales fell 5% from a year earlier, totaling around 980,000 vehicles. From January to July, Chinese EV sales were 12% below the same period in 2025. Still, electric vehicles made up more than half of China’s vehicle market during the first seven months. Chinese exports of new energy vehicles also surpassed 500,000 units in July, setting another monthly record.
North America showed a different trend. The region’s EV sales in July were about 140,000, down 27% from a year earlier. The first seven months of 2026 saw an 18% decline. In the U.S., July EV sales dropped more than 30% year on year. This follows the expiration of federal purchase tax credits in September 2025. During the second quarter, U.S. EV sales had already fallen 15% compared to the previous year.
Regional markets display contrasting EV sales patterns
Markets outside China, Europe, and North America experienced the fastest growth in July. EV sales in these regions rose 97% year on year, reaching roughly 280,000 units. This boost contributed to global totals, even though two of the three major markets saw declines. China still accounted for more than half of the world’s July EV sales by volume. Europe contributed about a quarter, while North America’s share remained relatively small in the global electric vehicle landscape.
Looking at broader 2026 data, electric vehicles are capturing a larger portion of overall car demand. The International Energy Agency reported that EVs made up 24% of global car sales during the first half of the year. Electric car sales increased 4% year on year in the second quarter and grew 35% from the first quarter. Meanwhile, overall global car sales declined about 5% in the first half. Against this context, the 9% increase in EVs in July pushed total global electric vehicle sales for 2026 to 11.5 million units.