After a slow start to the year, Europe’s new-car market has regained momentum. In May, according to data published by ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association), registrations across the European Union, EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland), and the United Kingdom totaled 1,152,523 vehicles, a 3.6 percent increase versus the same month in 2025.
Growth was 3.2 percent in the European Union, 1.4 percent in the EFTA countries, and 3.6 percent in the UK. Among the major continental markets, Italy once again stood out with the strongest result, posting a 7.6 percent increase in registrations. France and Germany also finished in positive territory at +3.7 percent and +0.1 percent, respectively, while Spain was the only large market to end the month slightly down, with a 0.8 percent decline.
Gasoline And Diesel Continue To Lose Share
Between January and May 2026, battery-electric vehicles reached 20 percent of the European market with more than 950,000 registrations, up from 15.3 percent from a year earlier. Much of that gain came from Italy (+75.7 percent), France (+55.4 percent), and Germany (+40.9 percent).
Hybrids remain the most popular choice among buyers, however, with a 37.8 percent share and nearly 1.8 million vehicles registered. Plug-in hybrids also grew, rising to 9.7 percent of the market thanks largely to a surge in Italy (+84.9 percent).
