In Europe, 80% Of New Cars Had ICE, But The Proportion Of EVs Is Rapidly Rising

In the European Union, over 972,000 new passenger cars were registered in April. That was 5.1 percent more than in the same month last year. This brings the total number of new passenger cars registered in the EU in the first four months to 3,794,280 units. That is 4.2 percent more than in the same period last year. 

Of all new passenger cars registered in the EU in April, 38.2 percent had a hybrid or mild-hybrid powertrain. In April last year, that share stood at 35.3 percent. Three years ago, nearly a quarter of all new cars had a hybrid or mild-hybrid powertrain. Cars with a petrol engine without any form of electric assistance achieved a market share of 22.5 percent in April. In April last year, that share was significantly higher at 28.6 percent. In April 2023, traditional petrol cars still accounted for a share of no less than 38.2 percent. The conventional petrol car has been slowly but surely losing ground for several years now.

Plug-in hybrids accounted for a 9.6 percent share of registrations in April. In April last year, plug-in hybrids held a market share of 7.9 percent. Three years ago, the share of plug-ins was 7.4 percent, comparable to last year. Diesel cars have not been doing very well for years. Last month, diesels accounted for a market share of 7.7 percent. In April last year, nearly 10 percent of all new cars in the European Union still had a diesel engine. In April 2023, that share was even as high as nearly 15 percent. Cars with an unspecified alternative powertrain (LPG, CNG, hydrogen) reached a market share of 2.3 percent in April.

The rise of the electric car

All in all, about 80 percent of all new cars registered in the European Union in April had a petrol engine. That is, four out of five. Electric cars accounted for a share of 19.7 percent, or one in five. To put that in perspective: in April 2025, electric cars accounted for a market share of 15.3 percent, whereas EVs still managed a market share of 11.8 percent in April 2023. In other words, it probably won’t be long before roughly a quarter of all new cars registered in the EU each month are EVs.

Registration of new cars in the European Union by powertrain type – April 2026

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