Segment: OEM

The models and brands driving Germany’s expanding new EV market

Awaiting the launch of a new incentive framework, electric vehicle (EV) sales in Germany stepped up in March. But which models found favour? James Roberts, Autovista24 web editor, unpicks the latest data from EV Volumes.

Following an unspectacular start to the year, EV sales, including battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), rallied in March.

According to EV Volumes’ data, 100,178 new EVs were added to Germany’s roads in the month, a 45.5% year-on-year increase. This marked the best monthly total since August 2023. However, that period saw a pull-forward effect, before subsidies for commercial BEV buyers ended in September 2023.

All-electric models enjoyed a significant year-on-year gain in March. In total, 70,309 vehicles reached customers, a 66% improvement on 12 months prior. PHEV sales increased by 12.8% to 29,869 units.

This strong month for EV demand helped cap a robust first quarter of new EV sales in Germany. Three months into the year, electric vehicle sales stood at 234,701 units. This was up from 175,558 in the first quarter of 2025, equating to a 33.7% increase.

Again, BEVs made notable gains in the first quarter. In total, 158,875 new all-electric vehicles were sold in Germany, up from 112,011. This resulted in a year-on-year gain of 41.8%. In total, BEV powertrains made up 67.7% of overall EV volumes between January and March.

PHEVs, meanwhile, accrued a more modest gain. After three months of the year, 75,826 units were delivered, equating to a 19.3% year-on-year increase.

Germany’s EV incentives

Recent BEV and PHEV sales momentum in Germany followed the announcement of EV incentives at the start of the year. First presented in January, the online application portal for the grant has now opened.

The scheme offers a direct grant for the purchase and lease of new BEVs, PHEVs, and extended-range electric vehicles. Taxable household income and family size determine the amount of funding available for each applicant. Importantly, retroactive applications are eligible back to 1 January 2026.

In total, €3 billion has been allocated to the scheme. The government aims to support around 800,000 vehicles with subsidisation by the end of 2029. So, with the activation of the scheme’s application process, this may accelerate EV growth in the second quarter of 2026.

Škoda hit a new high

The Škoda Elroq emerged as the best-selling EV in Germany during the first quarter of 2026. In total, the Czech BEV moved 10,339 units, claiming 6.5% of the all-electric vehicle market. This contributed to Škoda’s increasing slice of EV sales. The carmaker’s 9.2% share was up 2.1 percentage points (pp) year on year.

Since March 2025, the Elroq has shifted four-figure monthly volumes in Germany. March 2026 saw a peak sales volume of 3,872 units, plus a year-on-year boost of 242%. However, the Elroq’s monthly total ended up behind the Tesla Model Y.

The US BEV saw 6,841 sales in Germany during March. However, this was bolstered by the company’s typical end-of-quarter delivery spike. Within the first quarter of 2026, the Model Y was the second-best-selling BEV in the country. The crossover recorded a 5.9% market share with 9,300 units.

VW looms large over Germany’s EV market

Germany’s biggest EV seller, Volkswagen (VW), occupied third and fourth in the first quarter BEV model standings. Yet despite continued dominance, VW’s overall market share decreased by 3.8pp, to 15.9%.

The ID.3 rounded out the top three in the first quarter of the year. The compact hatchback, aimed at a more urban and suburban clientele, saw 8,158 units reach customers in Germany. Meanwhile, its larger sibling, the VW ID.7, followed in fourth with 7,917 units.

By offering two BEVs for different automotive and demographic needs, VW has ensured a significant market hold. Despite a 5.8% year-on-year volume fall in March, the ID.7 boasted a 5% market share across the first three months of 2026.

Strong first quarter for European brands

The Škoda Enyaq ended up fifth in the BEV standings three months into 2026. A larger offering than the table-topping Elroq, the SUV accounted for 7,542 sales. A bumper 3,392 units in March alone enabled a year-on-year leap of 41.8%. Like VW, Škoda has developed the Elroq and Enyaq to appeal to a wide-ranging demographic.

The Audi A6 e-tron ended the first quarter as the sixth best-selling BEV in Germany. The all-electric hatchback was just 47 units above the Mercedes-Benz CLA, with both vehicles commanding a 3.1% BEV market share.

A larger BEV offering from Audi, the Q6 e-tron, claimed eighth place with 4,032 deliveries. March was a strong month with the SUV recording a year-on-year volume gain of 97%. In ninth, VW’s mid-sized BEV, the ID.4, shifted 3,889 units, two more than the Cupra Born in 10th. Both secured a 2.4% market share.

PHEV market competition heats up

Volvo’s XC60 emerged as the best-selling PHEV across the first quarter of 2026. Following a ninth consecutive month of four-figure sales in March, the model recorded 3,564 deliveries in the first quarter. This resulted in a 4.7% market share, despite a year-on-year volume drop of 1.4% in March.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC followed in second with 3,201 sales between January and March, taking a 4.2% market share. The mid-sized SUV had a stellar March performance, with a 125.6% year-on-year volume lift.

The VW Tiguan took third in March’s PHEV top three, recording 1,339 sales. However, the SUV’s monthly market share declined by 0.3pp to 4.5% amid growing competition.

VW occupied four positions in Germany’s top 10 PHEV table during the first quarter. The VW Tayron claimed fifth with 2,805 sales, followed by the Passat in sixth, notching up 2,708 units. The VW Multivan rounded out the quarterly top 10 with 2,282 deliveries.

BYD’s rise continues

The first quarter of the year saw BYD continue its rise in the German EV market. The brand saw a 644.5% year-on-year surge in deliveries in the first quarter. As a result, its market increased by 3.2pp to 3.9%. This places the Chinese carmaker 0.5pp ahead of Ford and Volvo.

After recording its first sales in Germany during August last year, the BYD Seal 6 Touring has been making waves. In March alone, the estate was the third best-selling PHEV in the country with 1,117 sales and a 3.7% market share.

This meant that in the first quarter it managed 2,297 deliveries and a 3% share, putting it ninth. This put it behind the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in eighth with 3.2% and the Audi A5 in seventh with 3.3%.

The Automotive Update: Key trends in new EV sales and used-car transactions

How have new electric vehicle (EV) sales performed in the first quarter across different regions? What about major European used-car markets? Autovista24 journalist Tom Hooker breaks down the trends in the Automotive Update podcast.

One country appeared to define the results of the global new EV market in the first quarter, but which one? How did the other markets perform? Plus, what happened in major European markets, and how did the different powertrains perform? Listen to the latest episode to find out.

Subscribe to the Autovista24 podcast and listen to previous episodes on Spotify, Apple and Amazon Music.

New EV sales down globally

Sales of new battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) fell globally in the first quarter, EV Volumes’ data reveals. PHEVs, including extended-range electric vehicles, took an 18.7% tumble compared with the first quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, BEVs were only down by 1.6%.

This meant the entire new EV market saw sales decline by 7.6% year on year between January and March. This was driven by a 28.6% decline in China, where 46.4% of all plug-in vehicles were sold in the first quarter.

The US also saw sales fall, down 32.9% year on year. But even as the world’s second-largest volume EV market, it accounted for only 6.2% of plug-in deliveries.

Europe’s EV sales

Europe saw new EV sales increase in the first quarter, up by 28%. This was thanks to some positive regional performances from the likes of Germany, the UK and France. EV sales grew by 33.7% in Germany, 25.2% in the UK and 40.8% in France.

Across Europe, BEVs drove EV sales acceleration in the first quarter. In total, 725,375 all-electric cars were delivered, up 25.4% year on year. This meant the powertrain accounted for over two thirds of all new electric vehicle sales in Europe.

Used-car trends

While new EVs enjoyed a positive first quarter in Europe, the powertrains accounted for a marginal number of used-car transactions. Major used-car markets with powertrain breakdowns revealed how internal-combustion engines (ICE) remain dominant.

In March, France saw used diesel cars account for 42% of transactions and petrol 38%. In Spain, diesel made up 47.8% of used sales in the first quarter and petrol 35.8%. In the UK, petrol remained the most popular used powertrain, making up 56.9% of volumes, while diesel represented 31.2%.

While ICE remained on top, many of these markets saw sales of the fuel types decline year on year. As more used EVs become available, increasing the number of choices for buyers, well-priced models will stand out. With fuel prices remaining high, affordability will be an important consideration before purchase.

Which countries are powering the world’s new EV market?

Which countries saw electric vehicle (EV) sales surge in the first quarter of 2026, and where did they decline? How did this impact the brands selling plug-in models? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus explores the latest data from EV Volumes.

Globally, deliveries of new EVs fell by 7.6% year on year in the first quarter of 2026. Combined sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) struggled in January, suffered in February, and stagnated in March.

Of the 3,894,666 EVs delivered, 69.3% were fully electric, up 4.2 percentage points (pp) from the first quarter of 2025. This reflected the global BEV market’s higher volume of 2,697,413 units and a more marginal drop of 1.6%.

China and the US remained the world’s biggest and second-biggest BEV markets, respectively. However, both recorded double-digit year-on-year declines. China suffered a 23.6% fall, resulting in 361,855 fewer sales. This eclipsed the US, where 202,509 BEVs were delivered, down 25.7%.

The importance of China to the global BEV and PHEV markets is well established. Accounting for 43.5% of all-electric deliveries worldwide, it was far ahead of the US, which made up 7.5%. Then came Germany with 5.9%, the UK with 5.1% and France with 4.3%.

However, the size of the Chinese BEV market means any poor result has a large knock-on effect. Following a 20.4% delivery decline in January and a 39.2% drop in February, March’s 15.6% slide was something of a relief.

While the US followed a similar pattern of easing decline into March, Germany, the UK and France recorded accelerating growth. But with their comparatively smaller volumes, this did little to ease the global BEV market’s descent.

A similar sales trend

The same trend repeated itself in the global PHEV market to an even greater extent. PHEV sales fell by 18.7% to 1,197,253 units. The effect of struggling sales in China was even more apparent as the country accounted for 52.9% of all deliveries.

China saw PHEV sales drop by 36.4% year on year. Meanwhile, other leading markets, including the UK, Germany, and Italy, recorded growth. However, these three countries made up 6.7%, 6.3% and 3.4% of all PHEV sales, respectively.

This meant the positive results in these markets paled in comparison to the negative results in China. Additionally, the US recorded a decline in sales, reaching 38,953 units and accounting for 3.3% of all PHEV volumes.

Brands topping sales charts

BYD led the global EV market across the first quarter of 2026. However, its position of dominance appeared to be slipping, as its sales fell by 33.7% to 562,597 units. This meant its EV market share slipped by 5.7pp to 14.4%.

The brand’s performance in China drove this decline, where its sales fell by 56.2%. More than half of all BYD’s new EVs were sold domestically. This was far ahead of its second-biggest market, Brazil, with 6.7% share.

However, BYD has been making a concerted effort to export more models, decreasing the dependence on its domestic performance. This was reflected regionally, with China responsible for 82.1% of its EV sales in the first quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, export markets including Brazil, the UK, Australia and Thailand made up more of the brand’s figures. 

PHEV sales struggle

With a large lineup spread across different powertrains, BYD offered a wide range of choices to buyers in different markets. The brand led the best-selling PHEV table in the first quarter with the BYD Song Pro. It sold 43,869 units and represented 3.7% of all plug-in hybrids delivered.

The carmaker placed three other models in the top 10. This included the BYD Song Plus, also known as the Seal U in some markets, in third with 41,446 units sold.

The Qin Plus and the Seal 6 were slightly further behind in sixth and seventh, respectively. All these top-performing BYD PHEVs saw sales shrink in the first quarter, with declines steeper than 30%.

The remaining six spots in the PHEV top 10 were taken by Chinese models. The Fang Cheng Bao Tai 7 came second, close behind the BYD Song Pro in first. Battling it out in fourth and fifth, the Jaecoo J7 and Aito M7 were further behind the top three.

The Zeekr 9X came eighth, followed by the Li Auto L6 in ninth. The Galaxy Starship 7, also known as the Starray, rounded out the top 10.

BEVs do a bit better

While BYD’s top PHEVs did see declines, its leading BEVs only did slightly better in the first quarter. The BYD Seagull, also known as the Dolphin Surf, took fourth in the best-selling BEV table. Its 66,512 deliveries were down 27.2%, capturing 2.5% of the market.

The BYD Yuan Up, also known as the Atto 2, took seventh with a 1.9% share. This was thanks to 50,196 sales, down 14.9% year on year. However, the BYD Dolphin was close behind in eighth with a 1.8% share and 48,814 sales. This was up 31.7% compared with the first quarter of 2025.

While the top 10 table was not short on Chinese models, Tesla took the top two. The Tesla Model Y came first with 240,400 sales, up 19.2%, taking an 8.9% market share.

Unlike BYD, Tesla has a far smaller product range. The Model Y made up 67.2% of its sales, underscoring its central importance to the brand. This was up from 60% in the first quarter of 2025.

The world’s second-most popular BEV was the Tesla Model 3. It recorded less than half the volume of its SUV crossover sibling at 101,405 units. However, this was down by 16.8% year on year while it made up 28.3% of all Tesla’s sales, down 7.9pp.

Tesla’s South Korean boost

Like BYD, Tesla saw its sales fall in China with volumes down by 16.3% to 112,910 units. However, Tesla only sells BEV models, which meant less exposure to China’s struggling PHEV market.

In total, 31.6% of Tesla models were sold in China during the first quarter, down from 40.1% a year prior. With a more even sales spread, the brand saw 29.4% of its BEVs delivered in the US, down only 3.6pp as sales fell by 5.3% to 105,050 units.

However, Tesla did see a 335.1% increase in sales in South Korea, with 20,964 units delivered. This meant 5.9% of all its models were sold in the country during the quarter, up 4.4pp year on year.

While it did capture the top two in the global BEV rankings, Tesla is also up against stiff competition. The Xiaomi YU7 took third in the first quarter, with 71,942 sales and a 2.7% market share.

The Geely Geome Xingyuan, also known as the EX2, took fifth, followed by the Li Auto I6 in sixth. The Nio ES8, also known as the EL8, claimed ninth, followed by the Toyota bZ4x in 10th.

Leading global brands

For some brands, these high-performing models helped position them as leading EV brands. Li Auto was boosted by the performance of its I6 and L6 models, which accounted for 78.9% of its plug-in sales. In total, it sold 96,406 EVs in the first quarter, putting it sixth in the brand table.

With one of its BEVs present in the model top 10, Toyota came seventh in the brands table. Its EV sales increased by 46.5% to 89,958 units in the first quarter. Xiaomi also placed a model in the BEV top 10, as it came ninth in the brand ranking. The carmaker reached 82,073 sales between January and March.

Not all the world’s biggest EV sellers made the top 10 BEV or PHEV tables, however. BMW took fourth with 110,103 sales, and Leapmotor fifth with 103,436 units. Kia came eighth with 85,086 models moved. Then in 10th was Mercedes-Benz with 79,494 deliveries.

Ahead of all of them was Volkswagen (VW) in third. Its top-selling ID.4, ID.3 and ID.7 BEVs all recorded delivery declines of 32.9%, 30.4% and 18.9%, respectively. However, its plug-in hybrids picked up the pace. PHEV versions of the Golf, Tayron and Multivan all saw surging volumes.

Unlike BYD and Tesla, China was not VW’s leading market. Instead, it pushed the most EVs domestically, with 33.4% of its plug-in sales taking place in the country. Then came the UK at 12.1%. However, this was down from 12.4% as deliveries dipped. There was also European success in France and Italy.

Yet VW’s EV sales in China did decline by 62.9% year on year. The market accounted for 7.8% of its plug-in deliveries, down from 17.8%.

This highlights the weight of the Chinese market on global EV sales figures and the brands looking to move models. But as the region sees more carmakers exporting, other countries will see greater model diversity and increased competition.

BYD sales slide in China’s new EV market

As China’s electric vehicle (EV) market struggled in the first quarter of 2026, how big a slide did BYD experience? Are other carmakers also struggling to match their 2025 performances? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the data.

China’s EV market is in a state of decline. Both the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sectors ended the first quarter of the year with large losses. The market’s reliance on three of its biggest domestic brands proved an issue, dragging results down.

Three months into 2026, 1,806,085 new EVs were sold in the country, according to data provided by EV Volumes. This was down 28.6% compared to the first quarter of last year.

The BEV market ended the first quarter of this year down by 23.6%. In total, 1,172,159 all-electric models took to China’s roads in the three-month period. BEVs accounted for 64.9% of the country’s EV market between January and March.

In the third month of the year, BEV volumes declined by 15.6%, as 562,646 units were sold. However, this was the powertrain’s best month of 2026 so far in terms of volumes.

PHEVs continued to struggle. After the first quarter, the technology saw 633,926 sales, a 36.4% drop year on year. This was compounded by a 33.9% fall in volumes during March as 243,350 models were delivered.

But which brands led this downturn in China’s EV sector, and is a lack of market diversity responsible?

BYD hurts in China

BYD saw its sales slump in the first quarter of the year. Across both BEVs and PHEVs, the Chinese brand managed 305,131 deliveries. This was a fall of 56.2%, equating to 391,401 fewer units making it to Chinese roads.

This meant it accounted for over half of the unit drop in the country’s wider EV market. BYD’s PHEV sales took a noticeable fall in the quarter, down by 66.8%.

After three months of the year, BYD’s best-selling model took second in the domestic top 10. The BYD Song Pro saw 31,773 deliveries, ending up almost 11,000 units behind first.

The brand still has the largest presence in the PHEV sector, with five models in the 10 best-sellers list. Notably, the Qin Plus in fourth, Seal 6 in sixth, the Qin L in ninth and Song L in 10th.

Better BEV result for BYD

In China’s BEV market, BYD saw sales fall in the first quarter, down by 41.3%. Here, there was a slight shift in the brand’s fortunes.

The Yuan Up, which was not featured in the top 10 during January or February, experienced a better month in March. Despite its 21,179-unit total falling 15.4% year on year, the result propelled it to sixth in the cumulative table. This made it the best-selling all-electric BYD of the quarter.

The BYD Dolphin has been the brand’s BEV success story, with growth in January and a slight loss in February. March saw a 49.9% upswing and accounted for over half the model’s sales in the quarter. It sat eighth in the cumulative table with 29,074 units.

It was followed by the BYD Seagull, which had a rocky start to the year. It still held ninth after three months of 2026, however.

Wuling’s woes

Wuling had great success with its Mini model, while the Wuling Bingo also contributed to the brand’s total. Much of the brand’s performance came from the BEV market, with limited success PHEV success.

But like BYD, Wuling has been unable to capitalise on its strong market position three months into 2026. The brand sat sixth in terms of sales, as 75,272 units made their way to customers, a 54.5% decline.

With fewer options than BYD, the carmaker was led by these two models in 2025. However, both struggled in China’s BEV market in the first quarter. After three months, the Wuling Mini was 10th, with 25,420 sales, down 71.5% compared to the first quarter of 2025. Meanwhile, the Bingo was outside the top 10, with volumes down 80.7%.

Geely loses ground

The first quarter of 2025 saw Geely place third thanks to an exceptional performance from its Geome Xingyuan model. It went on to be the best-selling BEV in China during 2025.

However, during the first quarter of 2026, Geely sat in eighth. With 68,867 sales, its figures declined 49.6% in the first quarter of 2026. It was a slow start from the Xingyuan Geome and a stall from the Panda Mini, which hampered progress.

The Geome Xingyuan had a more positive March as the second-best-selling BEV in China. But the 30,356 units were still down 6.5% year on year. The result propelled the model up the cumulative table, where it sat third after three months. Its 57,149 deliveries made up 83% of Geely’s overall total in the quarter.

Meanwhile, with its sales falling 76.6% to 9,993 units, the Panda Mini failed to make the quarter’s top 10.

External influence

China’s EV market is dependent on domestic brands, with only one carmaker from outside the country featuring in the top 10. This is the US brand Tesla, which relies solely on the BEV market for its volumes.

After the first quarter of 2026, Tesla sat second, with 112,910 sales. This marked a year-on-year loss of 16.3%. However, its Model Y was the best-selling BEV in March, thanks to the carmaker’s quarterly delivery schedule. With 38,895 units, sales were down 19.3%.

The result did propel the Model Y to the top of the BEV chart three months into 2026. It secured 82,103 sales, holding 7% of China’s all-electric market in the period.

Meanwhile, the Tesla Model 3 also struggled. March saw it place seventh with a 38.8% loss in volumes, to 15,873 units. After the first quarter, the BEV had 30,661 sales, taking seventh in the cumulative chart.

Spotlight on domestic brands

BYD’s domestic success meant that even with its losses, the brand was still able to lead the EV sector. But Wuling and Geely’s decline let other marques shine in the first quarter.

While Tesla jumped to second, Li Auto placed third. Its 93,601-unit tally increased by just 0.8%. This was helped by the strong performance of its newest model, the I6. It was the third-best-selling BEV in March, ending up fourth in the first quarter.

Xiaomi also had a strong start to 2026. The carmaker only has two models available in China, and it was the YU7 that caught the market’s attention. However, sales slowed in March, reaching 13,757 units. This placed it 10th in the month but second in the first quarter, with 71,767 sales. But its poor monthly result let the Tesla Model Y slip past into the top spot.

PHEV struggles continue

China’s PHEV market saw brand diversity in the first quarter. Leading the way was the Fang Cheng Bao Tai 7 with 42,677 units and a 6.7% market share. The model was 10,904 units ahead of second and has been a standout performer so far this year.

It topped the PHEV market every month of the quarter. The Bao Tai 7 secured 14,046 sales in March and a 5.8% market share, keeping it ahead of the BYD Song Pro.

Zeekr also saw an impressive performance across the first quarter. Its 9X model ended March in fourth. It saw 9,590 deliveries, taking a 3.9% market share. This helped the 9X remain fifth in the cumulative chart, with 21,266 sales.

The Aito M7 has also been a strong performer in the Chinese PHEV market. It secured seventh in March. Its 6,610 units in the month was a 1.5% increase year on year. As a result, the model lost out to the BYD Song Pro in the cumulative chart, slipping to third with 24,990 deliveries.

Another model reaching the upper echelons of the PHEV table was the Wey Gaoshan. It took eighth in March with 6,132 deliveries. After the first quarter, the model sat eighth as well with 15,078 units.

BEVs see some improvement

In March’s BEV chart, the Tesla Model Y led the way ahead of the Geely Geome Xingyuan, as the Li Auto I6 took third.

March saw a standout performance from the Nio ES8 with 17,120 sales. The model was a constant presence in the BEV table during the first quarter of the year. However, the rise of the Xingyuan Geome in the month pushed it down to fifth in the cumulative chart.

China’s BEV market also saw brand diversity in the first quarter. The top 10 best-selling model list saw seven marques represented. However, BYD was less dominant, with only three models appearing. Tesla saw two BEVs in the chart, while Geely, Li Auto, Nio and Wuling also featured.

But while the Chinese BEV market struggled between January and March, it is a sum of multiple losses. Monthly declines combined to pull the powertrain down in the period.

With BYD featuring many BEVs in its lineup, it contributed significantly to the Chinese EV market’s first-quarter performance. As other brands establish themselves, the country’s new-EV market is in a period of adjustment. Brand diversity is key to ensuring ongoing growth.

Surprising start to 2026 for Europe’s largest used-car markets

There were some mixed results for the big five used-car markets in Europe. But which countries impressed, and which have work to do as 2026 progresses? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry analyses the latest figures.

Europe’s big five used-car markets saw mixed results in the first quarter of 2026. Two markets experienced growth, one remained stable, and two suffered declines.

It was the smaller markets of Spain and Italy that saw the best results between January and March. Meanwhile, the UK suffered a slight decline that brought an end to 12 quarters of growth. Both Germany and France struggled, the latter seeing results mirror its new-car market woes.

Most of the big five used-car markets suffered a decline in transactions during January. This weighed on their quarterly result, with only.  Spain and Italy, offsetting the losses after subsequent monthly sales improvements. In comparison, all five used-car markets grew in 2025. This means the UK, Germany and France will be hoping fortunes improve in the coming quarters.

The results also show internal-combustion engines (ICE) continue to dominate in countries where different powertrain figures are reported.

This contrasts with new-car market trends. Buyers appear to be turning to used cars, as supplies into new channels dwindle. However, there are signs of a shift in powertrain dynamics, as used transactions of petrol and diesel begin to slide.

Spain impresses again

Spain saw the best result of Europe’s big five used-car markets in the first quarter of 2026. Yet the period was not without its struggles. Figures published by GANVAM, and analysed by Autovista24, show the market grew by 2.9% between January and March. In total, 531,767 models changed hands in the period.

The year got off to a difficult start. January saw a 6% slip, with 157,776 transactions. This equated to 10,115 fewer models in the month.

However, February saw a slight recovery. With 177,150 units changing hands, this was a 4.3% year-on-year rise. The 7,334 extra transactions cut into the deficit created by January’s poor showing.

March then pushed the country’s used-car sector back into positive territory. With 196,841 transactions, figures increased by 10%, according to Autovista24 analysis. This was an increase of 17,916 sales, giving the quarter a rise of 15,095 models changing hands.

Used-car EV share increases

According to GANVAM, sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are gaining ground in Spain’s used-car market. The industry authority reported that 8,886 all-electric models were sold between January and March, a 48.8% rise. Meanwhile, sales of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) rose by 51.3%, reaching 13,710 units.

The association stated that electric vehicles (EVs) made up 4.2% of the total transactions in the first quarter. This was up from plug-in’s 2.9% share recorded a year prior.

As this increase continues, sales of ICE models are declining in Spain. Although diesel accounted for 47.8% of all transactions, it recorded a drop of almost 6%. Meanwhile, petrol sales fell by 1.3%, reaching a share of 35.8% in the quarter.

The industry association also highlighted that the Spanish used-car market is being driven by growth in newer models. Passenger cars up to five years old grew by 10.4% in the first quarter. The age group represented more than 27% of the total volume.

Meanwhile, vehicles over 15 years of age saw a 1.7% decline. These older models do, however, still account for four in every 10 transactions.

The country’s Sustainable Mobility Law could help in Spain’s desired transition to a younger vehicle fleet. The legislation has not yet been fully implemented by the Spanish government. It would incentivise the removal of the oldest and most polluting vehicles from circulation.

‘This would not only contribute to accelerating the achievement of emissions reduction targets, but also to reducing the average age of the fleet, with the important benefit that this implies for road safety,’ GANVAM stated.

Italy bounces back

After a disappointing start to the year, Italy’s used-car market bounced back to end the quarter on a positive note. Based on data from ANFIA, a total of 1,503,591 transactions took place in the period. This was a 1.8% increase compared to the same three months of 2025.

The result looked very different after January. With 444,303 sales, the market ended the month down by 5.8%. This represented 27,594 fewer transactions, according to Autovista24 analysis. The result was the first decline in the used-car market since May 2025.

However, this negative trend did not continue. In February, 506,696 models swapped hands, a 2.2% increase. Yet this additional 10,724 units could not make up for the loss in January.

But March proved to be the quarter’s saviour. With 552,592 transactions, Italy’s used-car market saw a monthly jump of 8.5%. The extra 43,105 models changing owners pushed the quarter into a positive result.

Italy’s automotive market will be hoping to ride this wave of improvement into the rest of the year.

UK sees growth streak end

The UK’s used-car sales market did not get off to the best start in 2026, with transactions remaining relatively stable after the first three months of the year.

According to the latest figures from the SMMT, a total of 2,016,232 transactions took place between January and March. This was a 0.2% decline compared to the first quarter of 2025.

The drop equated to just 4,758 fewer used-car sales in the period, based on Autovista24 calculations. The result ended a 12-quarter growth streak that dated back to the first three months of 2022.

The year got off to a good start, with January seeing a 1.7% increase in used-car sales volumes year on year. In total, 670,797 passenger cars changed hands in the month, a rise of 11,115 units. The UK was the only one of the big five European markets to see growth in the first month of the year.

However, February set a tone for the period. With 652,190 transactions, this was a 0.1% increase, with just 407 extra units compared to the second month of 2025.

March was the worst-performing month of the quarter. Volumes fell by 2.3%, wiping out the efforts from the first two months of the year. The 693,245 sales were down by 16,280 units compared to the same period in 2025. Yet last year saw the best March result since 2017, providing a high benchmark for the 2026 results to live up to.

Record results for BEVs

BEVs saw the biggest jump in used transactions year on year. The powertrain saw an increase of 32% compared to 2025 in the UK, as 86,943 models moved to new owners. This represented a 4.3% share of total used-car volumes, up from 3.3% a year prior.

Full hybrids also saw strong growth in the quarter, up 29.6% with 128,039 transactions. This was enough for a 6.4% share, according to Autovista24 calculations.

But it was not all plain sailing for electric models. Sales of PHEVs fell by 14.9%, the steepest decline of any fuel type. However, this was based on a smaller figure of 20,021 transactions between January and March 2026. PHEVs took a 1% market share.

Petrol remains the most popular fuel type when it comes to used-car transactions. Their sales remained fairly stable in the first quarter of the year, with a 0.2% dip. In total, 1,147,969 models changed hands, a fall of just 2,159 units. The powertrain made up 56.9% of the total volume.

Diesel saw a 7.3% fall in transactions, with 629,987 models finding new owners in the three-month period. With a 31.2% market share, the fuel type is still a popular choice amongst buyers.

‘The UK’s used-car market remained flat in the first quarter, held back by weakness in March in comparison with a very strong performance in 2025,’ commented SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes. ‘Better news is the record demand for used electric vehicles, as growing choice from manufacturers feeds through into the second-hand market.’

Germany experiences used-car struggles

Germany’s used-car market struggled during the first quarter of 2026. This is despite the country seeing its best monthly transaction figure in almost five years.

In total, 1,609,677 passenger cars changed hands in the first three months of the year. This was a 1.6% decline compared to the same period in 2025, according to Autovista24 analysis of available KBA data.

Much of this loss can be attributed to a poor market performance in January. During the first month of the year, 504,170 transactions took place, a 10.5% drop year on year. This equated to 59,369 fewer units moving to new ownership. February was also a poor month, with the 500,119 unit volume down by 3.5%.

However, the market was able to bounce back in March. The 605,378 transaction total was the highest monthly volume since July 2021. This provided a 9.1% boost, although the additional 50,439 units were not enough to overcome earlier losses.

This performance contrasts with Germany’s new-car market, which saw registrations soar by 5.2% in the quarter. So, the market will be hoping that used-car transactions can gather pace in the remaining months of the year.

France suffers in first quarter

The worst-performing used-car market in Europe’s big five during the first quarter of the year was France. The country’s entire automotive market appears to be struggling, with neither new nor used-car volumes able to record growth.

According to figures from AAA Data, analysed by Autovista24, the country’s used-car transactions fell 2.5% between January and March. In total, 1,330,153 models changed hands, a fall of 33,582 transactions compared to the same period last year.

Like other markets, France was undone by a particularly disappointing January. However, it was unable to recover, despite better performances in February and March, leaving it at the bottom of the big five pile.

The first month of the year saw used-car sales fall 9.6%, with 413,525 models finding new owners. This was a drop of 44,145 sales year on year. February remained stable, with a 0.1% rise as 439,649 transactions took place, 301 more than the second month of 2025.

March continued this upward trend. With 476,979 sales, the used-car market grew 2.2%. Despite this, the additional 10,257 transactions were not enough to push the market into a positive result for the quarter.

The French new-car market also experienced a 2.1% drop in volumes during the period. Therefore, the country will be hoping for better results in the rest of the year.

ICE domination drives used-car decline

According to AAA Data, January’s result was due to a sharp decline in ICE transactions. Petrol fell by 14%, as the fuel type held a 38% market share. Diesel sales dropped 12%, with a 44% share of total volumes. The weight of these powertrains in the market, therefore, dragged overall figures into a drop. 

In February, ICE volumes continued their decline, as petrol transaction dropped 4%, while diesel fell by 3%. At the same time, sales of BEVs increased by 23%, reaching a 4% market share in the month.

Meanwhile, PHEVs saw a 21% rise in models changing hands, reaching a 6% share of volumes. This, AAA Data states, represents a slow shift in the powertrain dynamic of the French used-car market.

In March, used BEVs saw a 47% jump in volumes, maintaining a 4% market share. Meanwhile, diesel transactions fell 4%, although the powertrain still accounted for 42% of the market. Petrol sales fell 2%, taking a 38% hold overall.

Leasing is also making inroads into the used-car market in France. It reached 5.1% of total transactions in March 2026 compared to only 2.7% in March 2021.

According to AAA Data, several factors explain this rise in leasing. These include the high prices of recent cars and the ever-increasing availability of cars from a previous lease agreement in the used-car market. The rise of electrified cars and the continued development of used-car purchases by companies are also playing their part.

Revealing the transformation of the 2026 European EV market

As Europe’s electric vehicle (EV) market goes from strength to strength, the dynamic within it is shifting rapidly. Brands hailing from outside the continent are enjoying considerable success, while some incumbent players are suffering from stagnant sales. Autovista24 journalist Tom Hooker explores the trends reshaping the playing field.

Many geopolitical and economic uncertainties threaten to slow down Europe’s EV transition. But on the contrary, sales continue to speed up. According to EV Volumes data, plug-in deliveries soared by 28% year on year in the first quarter, with 1,083,241 units.

This was the first time that over one million EVs were registered in the first three months of a year. These figures trailed the fourth quarter of 2025 by just 64,361 units, a substantial achievement for two reasons.

Firstly, October to December 2025 marked the highest number of EVs ever delivered in a quarter. Secondly, the fourth quarter typically records the highest volume in a year, while the first three months usually post the lowest cumulative volumes.

BEVs drove EV volume growth

Breaking down this year’s first-quarter EV result, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) drove volume growth. The technology recorded an additional 146,703 sales compared to the same period in 2025. This brought its total to 725,375 units, up 25.4% year on year. As a result, it achieved a dominant 67% share of the EV market.

Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) saw stronger percentage growth, as deliveries surged by 33.6% year on year to 357,866 units. The powertrain represented 33% of overall EV sales, up 1.4 percentage points (pp) from the first quarter of 2025.

EV growth between January and March was boosted by a particularly strong third-month result. Figures increased by 38.4%, reaching 504,885 sales.

Yet unlike the cumulative performance, BEV figures showed greater improvement than PHEVs, both in percentage and volume terms. All-electric volumes jumped by 40.9% to 345,208 units. On the other hand, PHEV sales increased by 33.4% to 159,677 deliveries.

Overall, March proved pivotal in determining where different brands and models sat after the first quarter. The month accounted for 46.6% of all EV deliveries in the period, helped by the spectacular BEV performance. But which brands were able to capitalise on Europe’s prospering EV market?

Unstoppable Chinese brand erosion

Many key themes have shaped Europe’s EV market so far in 2026. One of these has been the number of Chinese makes and models entering the continent. While some are just finding their footing, others are already challenging more established players.

One brand in the latter category is BYD, which was Europe’s fourth best-selling EV brand in the first quarter.

The marque recorded the highest year-on-year growth of any carmaker in the top 10 best-sellers list. Its volumes jumped by 154.7% to 73,535 units, handing it a 6.8% share of overall EV sales. This has doubled from the first quarter of 2025.

If its current growth rate continues, BYD could move further up the table. The brand sat just 6,113 units behind second at the end of the three-month period.

In March alone, the Chinese carmaker saw sales soar by 150.9%, as it climbed its way to third in the standings. BYD took a 7.5% market share, placing it ahead of BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

PHEVs accounted for 53.1% of BYD’s EV sales in the first quarter. This was led by the BYD Seal U, Europe’s best-selling model in the three-month period. The SUV recorded 21,494 deliveries and a 6% market share.

Jaecoo J7 makes inroads

Another Chinese PHEV SUV, the Jaecoo J7, followed, with 17,434 units and a 4.9% hold in the quarter. It led the March standings, after a 338.8% surge to 10,359 sales. This was helped by an impressive performance in the UK market.

The BYD Seal U was just 673 units behind in the monthly figures, with a smaller 55.6% increase to 9,686 deliveries. Together, the duo dominated, recording over 4,000 units more than the closest challenger.

BYD placed another PHEV in the first quarter top 10 standings, namely the Atto 2. The SUV sat 10th with 7,347 sales, after a strong fifth-place finish in March.

Other BYD models which contributed considerable volumes to the brand’s total sat in the BEV market. The Dolphin Surf and Sea Lion 07 recorded 8,907 units and 7,729 deliveries between January and March, respectively.

Both BYD’s were some way off the Leapmotor T03, another all-electric model with increasing volumes in Europe. The city car was ninth in the BEV best-sellers list in the first quarter, with 14,962 units. Of this total, 6,831 deliveries occurred in March alone, a 541.4% surge year on year.

Tesla’s bounce-back

Ahead of BYD in Europe’s first-quarter EV best-sellers list, Tesla has enjoyed a bounce-back in demand. The US marque managed a 45.4% uptick after three months of 2026, with 78,642 units. This translated to a 7.3% market share, up 0.9pp year on year.

Much of Tesla’s first-quarter success can be attributed to its March performance. The brand maintained its typical delivery schedule, where volumes peak in the last month of each quarter.

With an 85.3% increase to 52,801 sales in March, it comfortably topped the best-sellers list. Tesla captured 10.5% of overall EV volumes, 2.4pp ahead of second place.

The carmaker’s Model Y led the month’s BEV standings. This was thanks to a 115.6% year-on-year growth to 33,741 units. The crossover also topped the all-electric table in the first quarter, with 51,395 sales, over 23,000 units ahead of second place. The model achieved a 7.1% market share.

Its sibling, the Model 3, sat third in the cumulative BEV table, with 26,671 deliveries. The majority of these came in March alone, after the sedan’s volumes soared by 48.4% to 18,817 sales. The Model 3 and Model Y made up 99.3% of Tesla’s total deliveries.

This is unlike the carmakers around it in the table, whose volumes are more spread out across different models. Furthermore, Tesla does not sell any PHEVs. Therefore, its performance against marques which offer both EV technologies even more impressive.

German brands lead, despite stagnating sales

However, neither BYD nor Tesla could topple the lead held by Volkswagen (VW) at the end of the first quarter. The German carmaker’s 96,601 sales total made it Europe’s best-selling EV brand between January and March.

Yet its 2.8% delivery increase was far off the overall market’s pace of growth. In turn, the brand’s 8.9% share fell by 2.2pp year on year. VW was second in March, with a 3.6% rise to 40,738 units.

In total, 53% of the brand’s sales in the first quarter came from its ID.3, ID.4 and ID.7 models. The trio sat sixth, seventh and eighth in the cumulative BEV best-sellers table, respectively. Overall, BEVs contributed to most of VW’s deliveries, with a 62% hold.

The VW Tiguan was the marque’s next most popular model between January and March. The SUV placed third in the PHEV standings after the first quarter, with 13,016 units. It also came third in March, despite a 3.4% delivery decline.

BMW was Europe’s second-best-selling EV brand in the first quarter. The carmaker recorded 79,648 deliveries, giving it a 7.4% share. However, this was a rise of just 0.6% year on year. In turn, its slice of the market thinned by 1.9pp, due to increased competition.

The brand’s most popular EV between January and March was the iX1. The all-electric recorded 13,941 sales, representing 17.5% of BMW’s overall figure. It was followed by the X1, which placed seventh in the cumulative PHEV standings with 9,508 deliveries. Eighth in the table was the BMW X3, thanks to 8,353 units.

The BMW i4 also posted notable volumes in the first quarter. It accounted for 11.7% of the brand’s total volume with 9,351 sales. BMW had a relatively even split between BEV and PHEV volumes, with BEVs representing 55.1% of the total figure.

Mercedes-Benz’s slipping EV share

Another German brand that saw its EV market share slip between January and March was Mercedes-Benz. In the first three months of the year, it captured 5.9% of the total volume in the period. This was down 0.9pp compared to the same period in 2025. Despite this, its sales still rose by 11.6% to 64,385 units, enough for sixth in the best-sellers table.

Mercedes-Benz’s most popular EV in the first quarter was the CLA. The model made up just over a fifth of the carmaker’s overall figure, with 13,225 sales. In March, the CLA posted a 5,986.2% surge in volumes to 6,634 units. This handed it 10th in the BEV standings.

Fifth in the cumulative PHEV best-sellers list was the GLC, as 10,923 new models hit the road. Like the CLA, its deliveries surged in March, with a 120.6% rise.

The EQA was Mercedes-Benz’s third-best-selling model in the first quarter, with a 13.1% share of the brand’s total. Overall, The German brand has a wide range of EVs contributing to volumes, with 26 models recording sales between January and March.

An opposite trend

As some Mercedes-Benz’s best-selling models saw soaring deliveries, an opposite trend could be seen at Audi. While no models had a standout performance, the brand’s overall result was outstanding.

Volumes surged by 50.1% over the first three months of 2026 to 66,086 units, as it took fifth in the best-sellers chart. Consequently, its slice of Europe’s EV market widened by 0.9pp year on year to 6.1%.

Audi’s most popular model in this period was the Q4 e-tron, with 14,503 deliveries. The SUV sat 10th in the cumulative BEV table, and bettered this result with an eighth-place finish in March. However, its 6,852-unit total translated to an 8.7% decline from 12 months ago.

The Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron also posted strong volumes in the first quarter. The duo posted 12,092 units and 7,826 units, respectively.

Like Audi, Ford’s best-selling EV has struggled to gain momentum in 2026. The Kuga saw a 37.9% slump in March, as it landed eighth in monthly PHEV standings. Things were slightly better in the first quarter chart, as it sat sixth with 10,372 units.

Despite this, Ford’s EV deliveries have skyrocketed so far this year. The marque managed a 49.9% year-on-year surge to 42,674 sales. This made it the 10th best-selling electric brand in the first quarter, as the carmaker’s share rose from 3.4% to 3.9%. BEV’s made up for the majority of sales, taking a 61.8% slice of the market.

The carmaker’s most popular model in this period was the Ford Explorer, with 10,412 units. The Puma was also in high demand, as 9,385 new models were taken to European roads.

Volvo struggles to keep up

As Audi and Ford enjoyed positive first-quarter results, the same could not be said for Volvo in ninth. The marque suffered a 7.6% drop in EV sales between January and March. This made it the only brand in Europe’s top 10 best-sellers list to record a decline. Volvo’s 45,805-unit total translated to a 4.2% market share, down 1.7pp year on year.

The carmaker’s XC60 was the fourth most popular PHEV in the first quarter, with 12,381 sales. However, momentum is slowing for the SUV, which endured an 11.6% delivery fall in March. Not far behind the PHEV’s three-month total was the EX30, which posted 11,487 units.

Skoda and Renault’s strong start

On the other hand, Skoda had a positive start to the year. Apart from BYD, the brand was the fastest-growing in Europe’s first-quarter top 10, with a 66.9% surge to 60,349 sales. Its market share also grew by 1.3pp year-on-year to 5.6%, handing it seventh place.

Skoda’s EV lineup was headed by the Elroq, which sat second in the cumulative BEV best-sellers table. Its 28,305-unit total accounted for 46.9% of the brand’s total sales figure. The model ended the quarter on a high, with a 150.4% year-on-year improvement in March. It landed third in the monthly standings.

Fifth in the monthly standings and first-quarter table was the Skoda Enyaq. After three months of 2026, it recorded 22,010 deliveries. The Kodiaq was the carmaker’s next best-selling model, with 6,646 units. Overall, BEVs made up the bulk of Skoda’s EV volume, with an 83.4% share.

Behind, Renault also enjoyed soaring EV sales in the first quarter. It achieved a 46.3% year-on-year increase to 52,107 sales, capturing 4.8% of overall EV volumes, up from 4.2%.

The combined deliveries of the Renault 5 and Alpine A290 came fourth in the cumulative BEV best-sellers table. The hatchbacks recorded 24,929 units, as a 35.7% sales rise in March alone ensured a strong position. The Renault Scenic and Renault 4 also posted notable results, with 11,495 units and 7,453 units, respectively.

Looking at Renault’s powertrain split, PHEVs represented just 3.8% of the carmaker’s EV sales. This means any dip in demand for its most popular BEV models will be felt on a brand level.

The Automotive Update: Which brands are leading Europe’s major new-car markets?

How did Europe’s big five new-car markets perform in April? Did electrified powertrains play a significant role? Plus, what were the best-selling cars in each market during the month? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry reveals all in the Automotive Update podcast.

In this episode, a comprehensive look at new-car market fortunes in Germany, the UK, France, Spain and Italy. Also, a focus on electrified powertrain performances in each country. Plus, an overview of the best-selling passenger car brands. 

Subscribe to the Autovista24 podcast and listen to previous episodes on Spotify, Apple and Amazon Music.

BEVs help boost German new-car market

Deliveries of new cars in Germany rose by 2.7% year-on-year in April, according to the KBA.  

Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) recorded year-on-year growth of 41.3%, with a market share of 25.8% in the month. This was just 2.4 percentage points below market-leading hybrids, including full and mild versions. 

Meanwhile, the 13.3% improvement of plug-in-hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), while strong, was lower than any monthly growth recorded in 2025. 

Volkswagen (VW), Germany’s most popular brand, endured a 6.7% delivery decline. Mercedes-Benz enjoyed a year-on-year improvement of 4.9% as it sat second, while new BMW volumes fell by 0.5% in third.

BYD posted a 200.4% year-on-year improvement, which was bested by Tesla’s 255.8% surge, despite a lower delivery total. Meanwhile, Leapmotor saw an even greater improvement of 331.5%.

Petrol remains popular in the UK

The UK’s new-car market experienced a 24% increase in April. New petrol sales, which includes mild hybrid volumes, aided this improvement, according to SMMT data. 

As BEVs achieved their two millionth registration in the month, the powertrain saw its volumes increase 59.1% year-on-year.

PHEVs saw a 46.4% rise, taking a 13.8% slice of the market. Meanwhile, Full hybrids gained 18.8% compared to the same period in 2025.

VW was the best-selling brand during April. The German carmaker saw volumes jump 23% year on year. Kia followed with a registrations slice of 7.2%. Then came BMW, up by 7.6%, compared to April 2025.  

The fastest growing brand in the UK was Alpine, which saw its numbers rise 554.4%. Meanwhile, Leapmotor saw volumes jump 437%. Jaecoo also performed well, experiencing a 268.2% increase in deliveries.

France flailing in April  

New-car registrations in France remained broadly stable in April, with a 0.3% decline in volumes, according to PFA and AAA Data.  

Autovista24 analysis showed that BEV deliveries rose by 41.8%, helping lift a sluggish new-car sector overall. Conversely, both PHEV and hybrid volumes declined year on year. 

Renault topped the country’s automotive brands table in the month, according to AAA Data. However, the French manufacturer saw deliveries fall by 11.5%. It was still some way ahead of second-placed Peugeot, with the Stellantis brand seeing a 2.8% increase in volumes. 

Impressive electrification in Italy 

Italy’s new-car market rose by 11.6% year on year, according to ANFIA. This was enabled by an eye-catching result for both EVs and hybrids.

BEVs saw the strongest percentage growth of 98.8%, with PHEVs chalked up a 73.2% improvement. Despite this, the two technologies’ market shares remained under 10%. 

Hybrids contributed the most additional units compared to 12 months prior, even with a lower growth of 24.3%. The technology dominated the market, with a 48.8% share. 

Fiat was the best-selling brand in Italy’s new-car market during April. The carmaker saw volumes soar by 31% in its domestic market. Meanwhile, Leapmotor emerged as the fastest growing brand, with a 1,300.6% increase year on year. 

Spain’s new-car growth span continues 

Spain’s new-car sector was the most consistent market in 2025, and this trend has continued into 2026. April saw 106,862 units delivered to customers, a jump of 8.5%, based on Autovista24 analysis of data provided by ANFAC.  

The BEV market saw a leap of 42.3%, according to Autovista24 calculation of figures from Faconauto and ACEA. This was despite delays in the launch of Spain’s new incentive scheme for electric vehicle (EV) purchases, although applications can be applied retroactively. 

Like Italy, PHEVs were the dominant EV choice, with registrations rising 42.9% year on year. Hybrids meanwhile dominated the market in April. The technology saw year-on-year registrations growth of 23.3%, providing it with a 47% share of total volumes.  

According to data from Ganvam, Toyota was the leading brand in Spain during April, as the carmaker’s volumes increased by 2.8%. 

Xpeng emerged as the fastest-growing marque, experiencing an increase of 460.6%. Leapmotor continued its strong run across Europe’s big five markets, with a 176.6% improvement year on year.

UK new LCV market sees welcome growth in April

New light-commercial vehicle (LCV) sales enjoyed positive year-on-year growth in April as electric van demand increased hand in hand. However, zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets remain a distant goal. Andy Picton, specialist residual value analyst at Glass’s, considers the trends with Autovista24 web editor James Roberts.

According to SMMT data, new LCV registrations grew in April by 6.8% year on year. In total, 21,716 vans, chassis, pickups and 4x4s joined UK roads for the first time.

Behind this encouraging overall growth, market performance was mixed. Pickup demand slumped 57.4% to 1,166 units. This ensured volume declines in 11 of the past 12 months, since the changes to benefit-in-kind (BIK) rules. Vans under 2 tonnes gross vehicle weight (GVW) declined 14.4%, while those between 2 and 2.5 tonnes GVW dropped 20%.

On a positive note, the 4×4 sector registered 1,024 units, up 81.6% on April last year. Meanwhile, the large van sector saw demand for vans and chassis weighing between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes GVW grow by 28.5% over the same period. These 15,561 units accounted for 71.7% of all units registered during the month.

Despite this, the latest registration forecast for 2026 has been revised downwards again. 314,000 units are expected to be delivered this year, down 1,422 units from 2025. The forecast is also 7,000 units down on the first quarter outlook.

Battery-electric vans weighing to 3.5 tonnes are expected to rise from 28,000 units to 35,000 units. This would equate to a 25% increase and a 11.1% market share. This figure, though, remains less than half of the ZEV Mandate ambition.

Wider UK LCV growth

More generally, the latest 2025 Motorparc data covers the overall number of LCVs in use on UK roads. These figures reflect a robust vehicle fleet. However, the move towards zero-emission targets remains sluggish.

Van volumes grew to record levels, up by 1.4% to 5,175,598 units. The most popular vans on the road were the Ford Transit Custom with 554,581 units, followed by the Ford Transit, at 495,971 units. The Volkswagen (VW) Transporter followed with 379,185 units. Of all vehicle types, LCVs have shown the strongest long-term growth, up 29.2% since 2015.

Within the overall total, battery electric vans grew by 34.6% to exceed 100,000 for the first time. In total, 113,256 all-electric models are now in operation across the country, making up 2.2% of LCVs in service.

By region, more LCVs are owned in the South-East than in any other part of the country at 918,991 units, making up a 17.8% share. Of that number, 3.2% were battery-electric vans. This was the highest all-electric share of any region, followed closely behind by the London area with 3.1%.

Ford tops April’s LCV rankings

April saw Ford claim the top two positions, with the Transit Custom and the Transit respectively. The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter took third, the Renault Trafic ended the month in fourth and the Peugeot Partner placed fifth.

The VW Transporter finished sixth, registering 957 units, ahead of the Vauxhall Vivaro in seventh with 952 deliveries. Then came the Land Rover Defender in eighth with 759 units. The Citroen Berlingo secured ninth with 709 units and the Kia PV5 completed the top 10 with 586 units.

April’s electric LCV market analysis

Battery-electric van registrations up to 4.25 tonnes GVW was up 44.7% in April. The 2,439 units sold resulted in a monthly market share of 11.1%, up from 8.3% 12 months prior. However, nearly 83% of all vehicles registered in the month were diesel, highlighting the scale of the task at hand in transitioning operators to ZEVs.

Across the first four months of the year, 9,835 units have been registered, up 12% compared to the same period of 2025. This ensured a 9.4% market share, well below the ZEV mandate target of 24% for this year.

Electric LCV sales by brand

Ford accounted for over a quarter of all new battery-electric vans registered in April. Kia followed behind with 24%, and VW in third with a 22.9% share. Some distance behind was Maxus in fourth with a 6.1% market share and Vauxhall in fifth with a 5.5% hold.

Further down the list, Toyota claimed sixth position with 106 units and a 4.3% market share. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz finished seventh with 91 registrations and 3.7% of the market. Renault ended the month in eighth, selling 72 units, and with it, a 2.9% market share. Farizon claimed ninth with 26 units and a 1.1% hold. Citroen rounded out the top ten, registering 16 units and taking a 0.6% market share.

By range, the Kia PV5 led the way for the second month running, accounting for 24% of all battery-electric vehicle (BEV) registrations. The Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo followed with a 15.4% hold. Meanwhile, the Ford E-Transit Custom and e-Transporter ended up third and fourth, with shares of 15% and 7.5%, respectively. The Ford E-Transit claimed fifth, with 7% of all registrations.

Lower placed rankings saw the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric and the Maxus eDeliver 9 finish joint sixth with 109 units. The Ford E-Transit Courier was eighth with 100 units and the Mercedes-Benz e-Citan was ninth with 62 units. Completing the top 10 was the Renault Master E-Tech with 57 units sold.

The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) van segment saw five different manufacturers register a combined 1,033 units. Ford led the way with 484 Transit Custom vans, 198 Ranger pickups and 122 Transit Connect PHEVs. Toyota followed with 124 Corolla Commercial vans, ahead of 98 VW Caddy PHEV vans. Dacia registered six Duster Cargo vans and LEVC delivered one new VN5 van.

Between January and April, of the 6,188 hybrid LCVs registered, Ford claimed a dominant 83.4% market share. Toyota followed with a 10.6% share, ahead of VW with a 5.8% hold.

Used LCV market overview

The anticipated influx of de-fleeted stock from fleet, rental and finance providers following the March plate change did not materialise. These vehicles are likely to start being de-fleeted in the next month or so.

Good quality stock is still available, with elevated levels of buyer engagement at most auctions. Sub-two-year-old offerings can struggle against competitive deals for new ‘26-plate vehicles.

Despite this, two-to-four-year-old ready-to-retail stock with typically less than 70,000 miles continues to attract plenty of attention. Buyers are willing to pay strongly for the right vehicle and a full-service history. Additionally, there has been strong interest in older, higher-mileage stock offered in fair condition and realistically priced.

Stock age increased in April

Factors such as ageing stock in poorer condition meant a drop in the number of vehicles sold at auction in April. The Easter holidays and good weather also influenced the decline in sales.

Overall average age increased from 69.7 months to 72.1 months. Average mileage also increased, rising from 73,206 miles to 82,548 miles. Elsewhere, first-time conversion rates worsened by 2.8% to 76.4%, 3.4% lower year on year. Finally, average sales prices fell by nearly 9% over the month

Euro 6 vehicles accounted for 85.3% of sales in April. Euro 5 sales made up 11.4%, up 0.6% on March. Medium vans led demand with 36.8% of sales, followed by large vans at 29.5%, and small vans 22.3%.

The 4×4 Pickup sector took 11.2% of the market, an increase of 0.5% on March. This sector commanded the highest average sales price at just under £11,250 (€12,984). This was a £3,250 decrease on the average paid in the previous month.

Large vans covered more distance than any other LCV type in April at an average of 84,734 miles. This was up 13,735 miles compared to March. The small van sector returned the highest first-time conversion rate at 79.5%, while the lowest was achieved in the 4×4 sector at 71.1%.

Increase in used electric LCV demand

Despite the prevailing preference for petrol and diesel, there has been a noticeable increase in the volumes of used electric LCVs available at auction. Of those sold, many have cited the inclusion of battery health data in the vehicle description as a big step forward. This is giving consumers a more informed picture during transactions.

Electric van performance in April was mixed. On the one hand, overall sales fell by a third. However, those that sold were a lot younger and with significantly fewer miles. Average stock age nearly halved from 69.5 months to 35.8 months. Meanwhile, average mileage fell from 51,166 miles to 20,712 miles.

This younger age-mileage profile resulted in the average sale prices rising by £4,000, from just under £5,900 to nearly £9,900. First-time conversion rates rose nearly 10%, from 74.3% to 84.1%. Sales of medium-sized electric vans proved popular, accounting for 55.5% of all sales in the month. Small vans took a 41.3% share and large vans made up 3.2% of overall transactions.

The highest mileages were covered in the large van sector, averaging over 74,850 miles. The lowest mileage was recorded in the medium van sector at 16,500 miles. Medium-sized electric vans attained the highest average sales price at over £11,500, while the highest first-time conversion rate of 100% was achieved in the large van sector. 44.4% of all electric vans sold in April were between two-to-four years of age.

Retail increases recorded

The number of used vehicles observed for sale in the retail market in April increased by 3% to just over 42,400 units.

Diesel models made up the bulk of those on sale at 90.7%, up 1.1% on the previous month. Battery-electric LCVs accounted for 5.3%, ahead of PHEVs 2.1% share, and petrol’s 1.6% hold. LCVs with manual gearboxes accounted for 66.4% of retail sales.

Panel vans accounted for 56.1% of all LCVs on sale, 13.4% were 4×4 pickups, and 9.2% were crew vans. Minibuses made up 3.9% and dropsides claimed a 1.7% share. Luton vans and tippers represented 1.7% and 1.5% of sales, respectively. Of all the LCVs on sale, 40.8% had mileages of 30,000 miles or less. 29.0% had mileages between 30,000 miles and 70,000 miles, while 13.5% had mileages above 100,000 miles.

43.5% of vehicles listed were priced at £20,000 or more, 38.1% were priced between £10,000 and £20,000, while 14.8% sat in the £5,000 to £10,000 range. Vans priced below £5,000 accounted for 3.6% of the market. Just over 73.8% of all adverts showed the vehicle on sale for a price excluding VAT.

White vans led in popularity, accounting for 47.9% of all listings. Grey represented 18.4% of sales and black took a 10.8% share. 9.7% of all vans listed were silver, 6.2% were blue and 2.1% were red. The average vehicle age for April increased by three months to 55 months. Average mileage also rose, up 6.5% to just under 56,200 miles.

Sensational sales surge in Italy’s new-car market

Italy’s new-car market surged forward in April, as electrified vehicles continued to provide momentum. More generally, other powertrains, sales channels, and even individual brands prospered. Tom Hooker, Autovista24 journalist, reviews the figures.

In April, a total of 155,145 new cars were registered in Italy, a rise of 11.6% year on year. According to ANFIA data, this was the market’s second double-digit increase in 2026. It also marked the country’s fifth consecutive month of growth. The result was boosted by an additional working day in April 2026 compared to one year prior.

Strong sales of electrified vehicles, including hybrids, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) proved pivotal. Additionally, private buyers were identified as the key growth driver in April.

‘Private customers were the main force supporting demand during the month, as the only channel to record double-digit growth. They accounted for almost 50% of all registrations in April,’ said ANFIA president Roberto Vavassori.

After four months of 2026, registrations increased by 9.8% in Italy, with 639,736 units leaving forecourts. This equated to a further 56,882 deliveries compared to the same period in 2025, according to Autovista24 analysis. ‘In light of the trend recorded in the first four months of 2026, we have revised our full-year forecast upwards. The market could now target volumes around 10% higher than in 2025,’ projected Vavassori.

Uncertain market environment

Despite the positive headline figures, industry experts have warned that the underlying market environment remains uncertain.

‘The market is moving but remains trapped by the fragility of the wider environment. Without a stable and predictable framework, demand is put on hold,’ said Roberto Pietrantonio, president of UNRAE.

‘Today, the real issue is confidence. Families and businesses are postponing decisions because the environment is changing faster than their certainty,’ he confirmed.

Confidence concerns are also currently a key theme for dealers in Italy. According to UNRAE, delayed government electric vehicle (EV) incentive repayments are leaving some forecourts financially exposed.

Usually, dealers discount the car for the customer upfront, expecting the government to reimburse them later. However, if repayment is slow, dealers can be left out of pocket.

‘Regarding incentives, the issue of Italy’s Environment and Energy Ministry (MASE) grant reimbursements is becoming even more urgent, given the significant financial exposure borne by dealers,’ stated the industry body.

Company car taxation changes?

Meanwhile, UNRAE also called for company car taxation reforms and clarified their high importance in determining Italy’s new-car market competitiveness.

‘We need urgent structural changes to reform vehicle taxation in a ‘green’ direction. This includes VAT deductibility, cost deductibility and depreciation periods,’ outlined Pietrantonio.

‘A gradual yet concrete approach should be adopted, starting immediately with the most effective lever, deductibility, to renew fleets and accelerate the adoption of zero- and ultra-low-emission vehicles.’

‘The taxation of company cars still rests on a framework designed for an outdated context that is now very different from the current one. Its structure no longer reflects either the evolution of the market or the objectives of the electric transition. Updating it today is not only appropriate, but it is necessary,’ he commented.

EV sales soar in Italy

Amid ongoing discussions around EV incentive reimbursements and greener company car taxation, current plug-in volumes in Italy are soaring.

Combining BEV and PHEV totals, this grouping enjoyed an 84.8% improvement in deliveries during April. A total of 27,142 new EVs were registered, translating to a 17.5% market share, up 6.9 percentage points (pp) year on year.

BEVs saw the greater growth of the two technologies, with a 98.8% year-on-year surge in April to 13,199 units. However, its 8.5% share, while up 3.7pp, was still behind the 9% held by PHEVs. This was thanks to 13,943 deliveries, an upswing of 73.2% compared to 12 months prior.

Between January and April, EV registrations increased by 85.6% year on year to 105,286 units. This accounted for 16.5% of overall new-car volumes, up 6.8pp. However, this was still 10.5pp below the share of internal-combustion engines (ICE), which combines petrol and diesel figures.

PHEVs enjoyed a strong improvement in the cumulative figures, recording a 99.2% rise to 54,000 registrations. The powertrain’s share grew from 4.7% to 8.4%, putting it 0.4pp ahead of BEV’s 8% hold. All-electric models posted a 73.1% increase in the first four months of 2026, with 51,286 deliveries.

Healthy hybrid market

Hybrids, including full and mild powertrains, continued as the driving force behind the country’s overall new-car market improvements.

The technology posted an additional 14,802 units in April 2026 compared to one year prior. This brought its total for the month to 75,775 registrations, a 24.3% increase.

Without hybrid sales, Italy’s new-car market would have recorded growth of just 1.6%. The powertrain took a dominant 48.8% slice of total deliveries, up 5pp year on year.

Its share in the cumulative figures is even more staggering. Hybrids made up 50.8% of all registrations between January and April, up 6.3pp from the same period one year prior. This was thanks to a 25.5% growth in volumes to 325,182 deliveries.

Adding hybrids to EVs, the electrified market is seemingly unstoppable in Italy. The grouping captured 66.3% of overall registrations in April, up 11.9pp year on year. After four months of the year, the groupings’ share reached 67.3%. This was up 13.1pp from the same period one year ago.

ICE market in peril

In contrast, the ICE market faced yet more declines in April. Deliveries slumped by 18.1% last month, with 42,851 units. As EVs and electrified models make strong gains, ICE’s slice of the market thinned by 10pp to 27.6%.

Diesel had a particularly poor month, with a 22.4% year on year drop in April to 11,122 units. It represented 7.2% of overall volumes, down from 10.3%. Meanwhile, petrol suffered a 16.5% decline to 31,729 deliveries, as its share fell by 6.8pp to 20.5%.

Things were even bleaker for ICE models in the cumulative data. Volumes plummeted by 19.5% to 173,016 units, while its hold on the market loosened by 9.9pp to 27%. This put it 40.3pp behind the electrified market, and 23.8pp behind hybrids alone.

Petrol’s share slumped by 6.8pp to 20%, after an 18% fall to 127,794 units. Even so, the fuel type remained Italy’s second-most-popular powertrain. It sat 11.6pp ahead of PHEVs, petrol’s closest competitor.

Diesel had an even steeper decline of 23.3%, with 45,222 registrations. Consequently, its share dropped from 10.1% to 7.1%. This puts it 1.3pp and 0.9pp behind PHEVs and BEVs, respectively.

Fiat leads the way

Fiat was the best-selling brand in Italy’s new-car market during April. The carmaker saw volumes soar by 31% year on year to 16,009 units in its domestic market. This ensured a 10.3% share. The Fiat Panda was also the country’s best-selling new car in the month, with 8,571 registrations. Meanwhile, the Grande Panda posted 3,685 units.

However, other Stellantis brands did not experience the same positivity. Peugeot endured a 7.5% delivery slump on its way to fourth place in the standings. The Peugeot 208 still made the top 10 best-sellers list, with 3,558 registrations.

Jeep faced a 4.3% decline in ninth, even with the second-best-selling model in April. This was the Jeep Avenger, which recorded 4,221 units. Meanwhile, Citroen suffered a 4.8% fall in 10th, with the C3 accounting for 3,503 units alone.

The second-best-selling brand in April was Toyota, with 11,369 registrations. This translated to a 7.3% year on year growth, matching its 7.3% market share. Its most popular model in the month was the Aygo X, which contributed 3,372 units to Toyota’s total.

Leapmotor’s four-digit delivery surge

Just 109 units behind Toyota was Volkswagen (VW) with a 1% improvement last month. The marque’s most popular model was the T-Roc, with 3,074 units.

Yet the carmaker’s rise paled in comparison to Audi’s delivery surge. Volumes grew by 15.5% at the fellow VW Group brand, as it took eighth in the best-sellers table. However, this was still not enough to beat BMW. Its German rival sat just 25 units ahead in seventh with a 4.5% registrations rise.

Dacia and Renault also placed close together, with only 318 units separating the two carmakers in April. The former finished fifth after a 2.3% delivery drop, despite the Sandero taking fourth in the best-selling models list with 4,040 deliveries. Renault enjoyed a 1.8% year-on-year improvement in sixth.

However, the biggest growth in Italy’s new-car market was seen outside the top 10 best-selling brands. Leapmotor saw volumes soar by 1,300.6% year on year, with its total translating to a 2.9% market share. Out of its 4,496 deliveries in April, 4,090 units came solely from the T03, which placed third in the best-selling models list.

Omoda enjoyed a similar surge of 977.4%, giving it a 2.5% slice of the overall market. EMC, while only holding a 0.2% share, recorded a 562.7% uptick in deliveries.

Then came Jaecoo, with 195.4% year-on-year growth and a 1.1% hold. Finally, BYD made up 2.9% of the market, just 76 units ahead of Leapmotor, after a 171.7% rise in registrations.

Spain’s consistent results continue with latest new-car registrations rise

Spain saw another month of new-car registrations growth in April. However, could there be challenges ahead, despite impressive electric vehicle (EV) figures? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the market.

Spain’s new-car market continued its impressive run into April, with another month of year-on-year improvement.

The latest numbers from industry association ANFAC show that 106,862 units were registered in April 2026. This was an increase of 8.5%, based on Autovista24 calculations of available data.

This meant that after four months of the year, Spain’s new-car market recorded 407,338 registrations. This marked an improvement of 7.8% compared to the same period of 2025. The growth has led to an additional 29,449 units on the country’s roads, according to Autovista24 analysis.

The country has seen a consistent run of growth in 2026. This is more impressive considering the first months of 2025 saw slightly inflated numbers. Storms and severe flooding in the Valencia region at the end of 2024 led to a scheme to replace many vehicles. This created somewhat unnatural market growth. 

Challenges ahead for Spain?

‘April continues the upward trend seen throughout 2026, and we have once again surpassed 100,000 units sold in a month that included Easter holidays,’ commented Félix García, ANFAC’s Director of Communications and Marketing.

‘Geopolitical changes have driven up the price of petrol and, above all, diesel. But this does not yet appear to be a key factor in the shift of customers towards 100% electric vehicles. What is clear, however, is that diesel is dying, given that customers are not considering it when they want to buy a passenger car,’ he continued.

However, there may be some concerns ahead for the Spanish market. Despite its strong start to the year, a slowdown may be on the cards.

Raúl Morales, communications director of Faconauto, added: ‘from our perspective, in April we detected a certain drop in dealership activity, with a smaller order book. This leads us to maintain a cautious position regarding market trends in the coming months.’

BEVs build momentum

The battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market saw a leap of 42.3%, according to Autovista24 calculations of data provided by Faconauto. This was thanks to 9,723 registrations in the month.

Despite the improvement, the powertrain was still unable to reach a double-digit monthly market share. It accounted for 9.1% of total sales, a jump of 2.2 percentage points from the same period last year.

Yet with the new Auto Plan+, including its incentives scheme, which is yet to be published, the BEV market is flourishing. Retroactive payments are expected back to 1 January, and this may be influencing purchasing decisions.

‘This progress is significant, but it does not guarantee its continuation, and adoption must continue to be encouraged. To maintain this pace and move closer to our established objectives, it is essential to strengthen consumer support mechanisms. We expect the Auto+ plan to be published soon, with an agile  and accessible design that will build buyer confidence,’ commented José López-Tafall, Director General of ANFAC.

‘Consolidating domestic demand is not only key from an environmental perspective, but also to ensure Spain’s role as an industrial hub for new mobility.’

In the first four months of 2026, BEV deliveries increased by 41.8%, with 36,949 units registered, based on Autovista24 analysis. This was good enough for a 9.1% market share, a jump of 2.2pp year on year.

PHEVs lead the EV market

While BEVs continue to improve, in Spain’s EV market, it is plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) that continue to be the most popular choice amongst buyers.

In April, the powertrain saw 13,035 registrations, a year-on-year increase of 42.9%, according to Autovista24 analysis. This was an improvement of 3,913 units compared to April 2025. The result gave PHEVs a 12.2% market share, up 2.9pp.

This means that after four months of the year, 48,775 new PHEVs have been delivered in Spain, a rise of 64.6%. The powertrain made up 12% of all registrations in the period, a rise of 4.2pp.

Combining both BEVs and PHEVs, the EV market grew by 42.6% in April, with 22,758 deliveries. Their market share of 21.3% was up by 5.1pp. It was also just 6.4pp away from that of internal-combustion engine (ICE) models, a gap that has seen small fluctuations throughout the year.

After four months, EVs held 21% of overall deliveries, a rise of 6.3pp year on year. With 85,724 registrations, based on Autovista24 calculations, volumes increased by 53.9%.

Hybrids dominant in Spain

While EVs continue to improve in Spain, the dominant powertrain is the hybrid. Made up of both full and mild-hybrid technologies, it saw year-on-year registrations growth of 23.3% in April. With 50,237 units, hybrids held 47% of the market, a rise of 5.7pp year on year.

The powertrain has firmly established itself as the most popular in Spain, and led petrol by 23pp in the month.

While the technology dominates, it did experience a slow start to the year. However, both March and April saw increases over 20%. This upward trend will help the overall Spanish market should it continue. After four months of 2026, hybrids saw growth of 19.7%, with 194,213 units delivered. The powertrain took a 47.7% share of the market.

Combining hybrids with EVs, the electrified sector saw a 28.8% rise in April, according to Autovista24 analysis. With 72,995 units, it led the market with 68.3% of the overall share. Between January and April, electrified registrations improved by 28.4%, to 279,937 units. This provided a 68.7% hold of the country’s overall volume in the period.

ICE making up the numbers

Once again, both petrol and diesel registrations saw large declines in April. The ICE sector is no longer driving the Spanish market, but is merely contributing to it. The month once again reinforced the strength of the electrified market, which was able to negate the steep losses incurred by the fossil-fuel technologies.

Petrol ended the month with a 19.9% decline in volumes, to 25,618 units. This was only good enough for a 24% market share, a fall of 8.5pp.

After four months, the fuel type saw an 18.6% decline, with 97,505 units registered. At the same point in 2025, petrol had already achieved almost 120,000 deliveries. Its 23.9% share was 7.8pp down year on year.

Meanwhile, diesel saw just 3,973 units delivered in the month, a 28.5% fall compared to April 2025. With just 3.7% of the market, its share fell 1.9pp. Between January and April, the powertrain saw 15,907 registrations, a 27.1% decrease. This left it with a 3.9% share, falling by 1.9pp.

Combined, the ICE market suffered a drop of 21.2% in April, as 29,591 cars made it to Spanish roads. The group’s 27.7% share was a drop of 10.4pp. Four months into the year, ICE suffered a 19.9% decline, as 113,412 units were delivered. Their 27.8% hold of the overall total was down 9.7pp, and was 40.9pp behind the electrified market.

Toyota proves popular in Spain

According to data from Ganvam, Toyota was the leading brand in Spain during April. With 8,519 units delivered, volumes increased by 2.8%. The Japanese marque was helped by its Corolla model, which saw 2,511 registrations, while the Yaris Cross saw 1,725 units make their way to the country’s roads.

Next came Spain’s domestic brand, SEAT. With 6,895 registrations, it saw a 23.4% jump in volumes year on year. This was helped by the SEAT Ibiza taking second in the monthly models table, with 2,729 units. The Arona also contributed 2,251 deliveries to this total.

The third best-selling brand in Spain went to Volkswagen (VW). With 6,703 units, it saw an 8.3% increase compared to the same point in 2025. However, only the VW T-Roc made the country’s top 10 models list, with 1,715 units.

Fourth went to Peugeot, with 6,440 registrations in the month, and increase of 18.3%. Both the 2008 and 208 proved popular in the country, with 2,594 and 2,390 deliveries respectively.

Renault took fifth spot, despite volumes declining 10.5% year on year. With 6,108 units delivered, it failed to place a single model in the top 10, according to Faconauto data.

Are private buyers driving Germany’s new-car market forward? 

With another month of new-car registrations growth in Germany, one force appears to be driving the market forward. But how are powertrains and brands performing in the country? Tom Hooker, Autovista24 journalist, explores the figures. 

Deliveries of new cars in Germany rose by 2.7% year on year in April, reaching 249,163 units. According to KBA data, private buyers helped drive this growth. Registrations in this sector climbed by 8.2% to 88,182 units.  

However, private buyers accounted for 35.4% of the market last month, compared to the commercial sector’s dominant 64.6% share. This meant that the latter’s 0.2% decline had a bigger impact on the overall market’s performance. 

Varying results were also seen across different passenger car segments in April. SUVs, the most popular body type, saw 13.5% increase in registrations. The compact class was the second-best-selling sector, despite a 12.9% decline. Then came small cars, which enjoyed a 12.1% improvement. 

Between January and April, the entire new-car market grew by 4.5% to 948,567 units. Germany has experienced only one monthly decline in 2026, and only two drops in the last 12 months. So, despite current headwinds affecting the new-car market, demand has remained resilient. 

Broken down, both the private and commercial sectors saw a 5.3% increase after the first four months of 2026. The former accounted for a third of the overall volume. 

Growing private BEV market 

Private demand has also increased in the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market. This has been influenced by many factors, including a growing range of model choices for buyers. Rising fuel prices have also had a noticeable impact on demand, according to the ZDK. 

‘Private customers are now relying on BEVs to the same extent as fleet customers have done in the past. Drivers appreciate the increasing product range on the one hand, and the near cost parity in the entry-level segments on the other,’ explained VDIK president Imelda Labbé.  

‘Affordability is decisive for the acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs). This also applies to operating costs, where we see a cost advantage for EVs at present,’ she stated. 

Meanwhile, private buyers are still awaiting the activation of the country’s new EV incentives. The scheme was announced at the start of the year, with retroactive applications eligible back to 1 January. While users will be able to apply for support online, the portal will not open until May. 

Yet industry experts believe that the gap between the programme’s announcement and activation has not hindered demand. 

‘If we had normal market conditions, then the demand for EVs would probably not be as strong as it is currently. The fact that the purchase premium is not yet officially on the market does not even have a negative effect. Many customers plan for the bonus and expect to get this financing,’ said ZDK president Thomas Peckruhn. 

‘It is now crucial that the framework conditions develop reliably. Then, the market will continue to support the ramp-up under its own steam,’ he highlighted. 

Bigger slice for BEVs 

As more private buyers opt for BEVs, the technology’s slice of the new-car market continues to improve. It took a 25.8% share in April, up from 18.8% at the same time last year. With 64,350 deliveries, the powertrain saw a surge of 41.3% year on year. 

BEVs were the country’s second most popular powertrain in the month, 4.4 percentage points (pp) ahead of petrol in third. The technology was just 2.4pp behind the market share of hybrids, made up of full and mild versions. 

It also marked one of the largest shares for BEVs, alongside August 2023 and December 2022. However, these months were influenced by a pull-forward effect before subsidies were ended or reduced.  

With an increasing share, BEV performance is becoming more important to wider new-car market growth. Excluding the powertrain from last month’s figures results in a 6.3% year-on-year decline. 

BEVs recorded the same 41.3% year-on-year improvement between January and April, equating to 223,980 units. All-electric models made up 23.6% of total deliveries in the first four months of the year, up 6.1pp compared to the same period in 2025. 

PHEV market slowing? 

On the other hand, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) demand appeared to be slowing. Deliveries increased by 13.3% in April to 27,546 units. This followed a similar 13% year-on-year uptick in March.  

However, both improvements were lower than any monthly growth recorded in 2025. The technology is struggling when compared with its strong performances from last year. 

Yet as other powertrains see either smaller growth or overall decline, PHEVs’ market share continues to steadily increase. It grew by 1.1pp to 11.1% in April, while in the cumulative figures, it rose by 1.2pp to 10.9%. This was due to a 17.6% improvement in registrations to 103,660 units.  

Combining BEV and PHEV figures, EV deliveries increased by 31.6% in April to 91,896 units. This translated to a 36.9% share, up 8.1pp year on year. It also marked the grouping’s highest share since August 2023. Between January and April, the EV share reached 34.5% as volumes grew by 32.9% to 327,640 deliveries. 

Petrol market in peril 

As EV growth continued in April, so did the contrasting decline of internal-combustion engine (ICE) deliveries. The powertrain group, which includes petrol and diesel, saw a 17.8% year on year drop to 85,857 registrations. Its grip on the market consequently loosened from 43% to 34.5%, 2.4pp below EVs. 

Petrol had the poorer performance last month, suffering a 20% slump to 53,420 units. Its share fell from 27.5% to 21.4%. Meanwhile, diesel recorded a 13.8% delivery decline to 32,437 units and a 2.5pp drop in share to 13%. 

After four months of 2026, ICE volumes dropped by 14.1% to 341,226 registrations. The grouping captured 36% of the overall market, down 7.8pp year on year. While it remained ahead of EVs by 1.5pp, this could soon change if current performances continue. 

Broken down, petrol suffered the bigger decline of 17.2% between January and April, to 212,478 units. With its 22.4% share, the fuel type sat 6.8pp below hybrids. In comparison, the deficit stood at 0.3pp during the same period of 2025.  

Diesel endured a shallower 8.4% drop between January and April to 128,748 deliveries, as its share fell by 1.9pp to 13.6%. 

Hybrid’s stability stays dominant 

Between soaring EV sales and slumping ICE demand, hybrid volumes have remained comparatively stable in 2026. April saw a 4.2% increase to 70,207 units, giving it a 0.4pp rise in share to 28.2%. However, despite leading the market, this was its lowest hold of 2026 so far, as BEVs inched ever closer. 

Hybrid registrations rose by 6.6% in the first four months of the year, reaching 276,773 units. The technology represented 29.2% of overall volumes, up from 28.6%. 

Adding hybrids to the EV total, the electrified market continued to tighten its grip on new-car sales. The grouping made up 65.1% of deliveries in April, thanks to a 18.1% rise in volumes. In the year-to-date, electrified volumes increased by 19.4%, as the grouping accounted for 63.7% of the market total. 

Audi’s strong April 

Like powertrains, breaking down the new-car market by brands showed contrasting results within the top 10 best sellers.  

In fifth, Audi saw a strong year-on-year gain of 19%. Fellow Volkswagen (VW) Group brand Škoda posted a 12.2% improvement in fourth.  

Conversely, SEAT suffered a 13.9% slump in seventh, ahead of Hyundai, which recorded a 6.1% year on year gain. VW, Germany’s most popular brand, endured a 6.7% delivery decline. 

Ford recorded an 18.5% decline in ninth, followed by a 9.9% drop for Fiat, which rounded out the top 10. Elsewhere in the Stellantis stable, Opel posted a 6.6% delivery increase in sixth. 

Mercedes-Benz enjoyed a year-on-year improvement of 4.9% as it sat second, while new BMW volumes fell by 0.5% in third. 

Yet the fastest-growing brands in April all came from outside the top 10 best-sellers list. With 4,705 units, BYD posted a 200.4% year-on-year improvement to 4,705 registrations. This was bested by Tesla’s 255.8% surge, despite a lower delivery total of 3,149 units. Meanwhile, Leapmotor saw an even greater improvement of 331.5% to 1,355 deliveries. 

The Automotive Update: What were Europe’s fastest-selling used cars in April?

Which models were the fastest-selling in key European used-car markets? What happened with other demand indicators for used cars? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry discusses all this and more in the Automotive update podcast.

This episode takes a deep dive into key European used-car markets, including the performance of residual values (RVs). Also, how is Australia adapting its electric vehicle (EV) incentives for the coming years?

Fastest-selling used cars

The latest Autovista24 Monthly Market Update revealed that trade RVs remained broadly stable across Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. While there was an overall trend of decline compared with March, value drops were mostly marginal.

The data presented in the latest report also revealed which models were the fastest selling in each market. This is based on the average days to sell, between a car entering the market and finding a new owner.

Both the Tesla Model Y and Cupra Formentor topped local used-cars charts in two of the seven analysed markets. The US model moved quickly in Austria and Germany, while the Spanish brand topped the French and UK tables.

The Dacia Sandero placed in the top five of four markets, topping the chart in Spain. In Italy, the Toyota Yaris Cross led the fastest-selling cars table. The Japanese model also placed in the top five for Austria and Spain. The SEAT Leon topped the market in Switzerland, the only market where it appeared in the top five.

Other notable performances included the Volkswagen Polo, which appeared in the tables of Austria, France and the UK. Toyota continued to prove popular, with its Corolla appearing as one of the fastest sellers in France and Spain. The Toyota Yaris also made the top five in France and Italy.

Can electric cars benefit from rising prices?

ACEA has argued that energy market volatility is strengthening the case for accelerating away from fossil fuels in road transport.

‘A technology-neutral decarbonisation strategy that embraces electrification and includes renewable fuels is essential. It is key to safeguarding Europe’s resilience, protecting consumers from price and supply shocks, and delivering a successful transition to climate‑neutral mobility,’ commented Sigrid de Vries, ACEA Director General.

The industry body has indicated a need for policy action in two areas. This includes making electricity the most affordable source of energy. Achieving this requires lowering the cost of energy used to charge EVs. This can help drive consumers and businesses into zero-emission transport.

ACEA also suggested that renewable fuels should be incentivised, based on their carbon content. Short-term measures to lower fuel prices do not currently distinguish between fuels based on their makeup. 

Australia extends EV incentives

The Australian government has extended its EV incentive programme. The Electric Car Discount (ECD) was first introduced in 2022 and will be rolled out in three phases. The scheme offers a tax rebate when employees use salary sacrifice to cover the leasing costs of an EV.

Government analysis revealed the programme led to an estimated 64,000 additional battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales between 2022 and 2025.

Phase one of the extension will run until the end of March 2027. This will extend exemptions from the country’s Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) on the portion of salary used to pay leasing instalments.

The second phase will run from 1 April 2027 to 1 April 2029. During this time, the FBT exemption will only apply to EVs with a purchase price of up to AUS $75,000 (€46,252). This measure aims to encourage manufacturers to offer more affordable BEVs in the Australian market.

EVs costing more than AUS $75,000, but below the luxury car tax threshold, will qualify for a 25% discount on payable FBT. The third phase starts on 1 April 2029, when all EVs below the luxury car tax threshold will qualify for a 25% discount on payable FBT.