Europe's electric car sales jump 49% as global EV sales grow
Global EV sales rose 8% in October to 2.09 million, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Europe led with a 49% jump in battery electric vehicle sales, while North America posted its first year-over-year increase of 2026—though that rebound is measured against a month when US sales had just collapsed after the federal tax credit expired. China's sales fell 12% year over year, but EVs still hit a record share of its shrinking car market.
October is the first month compared against a period without the US federal tax credit, and the US market has stabilized at a lower level rather than recovered.
- pavlov
The USA is becoming a weird protectionist island of expensive and inefficient cars while the rest of the world is moving forward.
It’s not the first time of course. Something similar happened with banking, where the US got stuck in the mid-20th century with people still using paper checks, no access to instant digital transfers, etc.
- cromka
European brands, especially French, are currently absolutely cooking with the new EV models. The boom started with Renault 5 and it took off from there.
So I personally am absolutely not afraid of the European brands disappearing somehow because China makes them quite well and affordably now, too. This previously already happened with Japanese and Korean ones as well and, to be honest, European brands just keep delivering exciting new cars that get your heart pumping and they still do. Meanwhile it hardly ever happens with the Asian ones. It does, but it's still... not the same kind excitement.
- TMWNN
Although the article only mentions BYD, Tesla is gaining share in Europe despite Chinese EVs. <https://www.kansas.com/news/business/article317450876.html>
- spottedmarley
I think North America is just a much bigger place so the required charging infrastructure build out is much larger than in European states. Personally, EVs are not practical yet in the US for my uses. When EV charging stations are as common as gas stations and charge times are reduced, I'll start looking at EVs.
- yabatopia
4.5 million EVs sold in the EU in 2026, a 31% increase for the year so far.
In North America, that's including Canada? 1.3 million EVs so far this year. Minus 21% YTD-26 vs YTD-25.
Perhaps American drivers are putting off their purchase of an electric car until the launch of the flying roadster?