Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe experienced a significant increase in the first quarter of 2026, driven by soaring petrol prices that led drivers to switch from traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. Data from E-Mobility Europe and New Automotive, as reported by Reuters, revealed that registrations of new battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) surged by 29.4 percent year-on-year to nearly 560,000 during the quarter. Specifically, in March, registrations spiked by 51.3 percent, totaling over 240,000 across 15 European markets.
The collective registration of approximately half a million EVs in the quarter is projected to result in a reduction of about two million barrels of oil consumption per year. This uptick in EV demand coincides with the escalating fuel prices due to the 2026 Iran conflict, pushing petrol costs to unprecedented levels.
The growth in EV sales was most pronounced in Europe’s five leading electric vehicle markets – Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Poland, where BEV sales surged by over 40 percent in the current year. In March, electric vehicles accounted for around 21.2 percent of all new vehicle purchases in the EU and EFTA regions.
The United Kingdom, Europe’s second-largest EV market following Germany, witnessed a 12.8 percent increase in registrations during the first quarter, according to New Automotive data. Electric cars represented 22.5 percent of the total new vehicle sales during this period.