01:17 31-12-2025

Europe's EV outlook for 2026: sales momentum, new models and charging gains

Although 2025 wrapped up with news of Europe adjusting its stance on phasing out internal-combustion engines after 2035, there are still solid reasons to see 2026 as a strong year for electric cars. The key argument is market momentum: sales of pure battery-electric vehicles in Europe are growing much faster than the overall car market. From January to November, the region registered 2.276 million EVs versus 1.787 million a year earlier—up 27.4% against just 1.9% growth for the market as a whole. EV share climbed to 16.9% (from 13.4%), while plug-in hybrids rose to 9.3% (from 7.1%) and already outpace diesel. The signal is hard to miss.

The second reason lies in buyer psychology and subsidy policy. In many countries, there’s a growing sense that incentives won’t last forever, so more people are deciding to move to electric earlier rather than later. In Spain, for instance, the new Auto 2030+ program is designed to extend support and fix the weak spots of previous schemes. This pull-forward effect is becoming part of the EV narrative.

A third driver is the model wave due in 2026. New high-volume, relatively affordable EVs are exactly what can widen the audience. Expect particular movement in the city-car segment, including Volkswagen Group projects such as the CUPRA Raval and VW ID. Polo. Established European players are also shoring up their lineups, while Chinese brands continue their expansion. Price could get an extra push from localization: BYD plans to produce more affordable EVs in Europe (Hungary is mentioned), which could reduce costs for the end customer. City-focused newcomers are poised to matter where it counts: volume.

Finally, infrastructure and technology are steadily easing the major fears. Highway charging networks are expanding, real-world ranges are improving and fast-charging rates are climbing, turning an EV from a city-bound compromise into an increasingly universal choice. Against this backdrop, 2026 looks like a year when Europe’s electrification trend could gather even more pace, even if the rhetoric around combustion engines becomes softer.