The share of gasoline cars in global car sales fell below 50 percent for the first time ever.
Sales of electric cars in Europe rose by 52.2 percent in August compared with a year earlier.
Electric car sales reached record levels in 50 countries in the second quarter, and 90 countries saw growth in the first half of the year.
Gasoline cars’ share below half
In the first half of 2026, sales of gasoline-powered cars, not counting hybrids, fell by 10 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. That equals 20.25 million cars. Their share of global car sales decreased by 3 percentage points to 49 percent. The figures come from the data company Mobility Global and were reported by Nikkei Asia.
This is the first time the share of gasoline cars has fallen below 50 percent.
China was first, the rest of the world is now following
China passed the 50 percent threshold for hybrids and electric cars as a share of all car sales a few years ago. The share is now about 55 percent. The rest of the world did not follow until the fuel markets were disrupted by the war in Iran.
The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices around 100 dollars led to record-high prices for gasoline and diesel. Many consumers in Europe, South America and Asia Pacific then chose electric cars.
Europe: sharp increase in August
Sales of battery electric cars in Europe, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway, rose by 52.2 percent in August compared with August 2025. The figures come from the European automotive industry association ACEA.
In Germany, Europe’s largest car market, electric car sales rose by 75 percent in August. At the same time, the gasoline price in the country reached a record level of 2.31 euros per liter. In France, electric car sales more than doubled.
Germany introduced a purchase premium for electric cars from January 2026. According to an analysis by the German Institute for Economic Research, DIW, sales have increased. Between January and August, one in four new passenger cars in Germany was a pure electric car. In August, it was one in three. The average for 2025 was 19 percent.
Records in 50 countries
The International Energy Agency, IEA, described the development of electric car sales in July. After a weak start to the year, sales rose by 35 percent in the second quarter compared with the first quarter. According to the IEA, fuel price swings put the focus back on electric cars.
In the second quarter, electric car sales reached record levels in 50 countries. In Brazil, India, Australia and Vietnam, sales roughly doubled between March and June compared with the same period in 2025. In total, 90 countries saw growth in electric car sales in the first half of the year.
Analysts expect the trend to continue
Analysts at Wood Mackenzie assess that the development is expected to continue in global markets. They say the share of electric cars in the passenger car fleet could become higher than previously expected. The longer the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz affects the fuel markets, the stronger the case for electric cars becomes, according to the analysts.
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