BEVs remain in high demand in Europe, with pure electrics reaching a record 31% share last month thanks to a record 422,000 fully electric passenger cars being registered in Europe, which is not only a 63%(!) increase year over year (YoY), but is also the fastest growth rate in over three years!
📌 The Core Development
Overall, plugin vehicles were up 49% YoY, dragged down by plugin hybrids, which grew only 23%, to 167,000 units, which was also a new record high for plugin hybrids in Europe, thus placing September’s total plugin volume at a best ever 590,000 units and its share at 43% (31% for BEVs only).
With BEVs pulling the market upwards, the year-to-date share for BEVs is now at 25% (36% for PHEVs and BEVs combined) , which is already higher than the 2025 final result (20% BEV share, 29% adding PHEVs). This is an encouraging sign if we want to be close to 100% PEV share by the mid-2030s.
🔍 Background & Sector Context
Looking at other powertrains, while petrol (18% share in September, down 21% YoY) and diesel (4%, down 28% YoY) continue their downward trend into irrelevance, the main news is the fact that we could have already passed the point of peak HEV — in September, plugless hybrids still grew, albeit less (+5% YoY) than the overall market (+10%, to 1.4 million units).
More important than that, if we compare the 34% share earned by HEVs in September 2026 with the share they had 12 months ago (36% then), we might be witnessing the beginning of plugless hybrids’ downward slope. So … if 2026 is the year of peak HEVs , how far are we from peak PHEVs ?
📊 Industry & Real-World Impact
Looking at the best sellers in several size categories , the EV push is starting to get visible. While we are far from the EV domination we see in China, things are indeed evolving in Europe.
Benchmark Telemetry & EV Fuel Savings
Put top supercars and EVs to the test in The Pit Stop Lab — launch head-to-head 1/4-mile drag strip battles & compute EPA electric fuel cost savings.
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🔮 Strategic Outlook & What Lies Ahead
Before, the only EVs that we saw on the overall podiums were Teslas. Now, besides those two usual suspects , the 3rd placed model in the midsize category, the Mercedes GLC, is also heavily electrified, with 59% of all its sales coming from either its new BEV model (representing 44% of its total sales) or the PHEV versions (15% of sales), leaving the ICE versions representing just 41% of total sales.
The A-segment has the Renault Twingo as the 2nd placed model. Like in China before, expect this category to be quickly electrified. Firstly, the ICE competition is shrinking. Secondly, not only do we have the Renault Twingo already on the podium, but the new Dacia Spring is set to become a success, so expect it to join the Renault sibling on the podium. As a third musketeer, the VW ID.Up is set to land sometime next year, which is another strong bet from the German brand — and nothing shorter than a podium position would do.
