Overview
- European registrations increased in April 2026, with Western Europe (EU, EFTA and UK) reaching about 1.15 million cars and a year‑on‑year rise near 7 percent.
- April marked the third consecutive month of growth and left the first four months of 2026 modestly ahead of 2025, though volumes remain roughly 15 percent below 2019 levels.
- Battery electric vehicles accounted for about 22 percent of April sales with roughly 255,000 registrations and a month‑on‑month jump of around 38 percent.
- Growth was uneven by country and maker: the UK and Italy recorded the strongest April gains while France slipped slightly, traditional groups like Stellantis and Volkswagen posted solid results, and Tesla plus multiple Chinese entrants recorded large percentage increases.
- Conventional petrol and diesel sales continued to fall, which combined with incentives and operating‑cost pressure could speed charging infrastructure needs and further shift market share toward electrified models.