Global electric vehicle sales (battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell) reached 13.4 million units through August 2026, up 4 percent year-over-year. China accounted for 52 percent of global EV sales through August. (Read More)
- Europe remained the strongest performing region, with EV sales up 36 percent year-over-year in August and 29 percent through the first eight months of 2026. France reached a record 41 percent EV penetration rate in August, while incentives, lower-priced models and elevated fuel prices continued to support demand across major European markets.
- China’s EV sales declined 11 percent year-over-year in August while sales increased 4 percent month-over-month. EVs accounted for more than 60 percent of China’s passenger vehicle market for the fourth consecutive month.
- Chinese EV exports continued to surge, rising more than 150 percent year-over-year to a record of roughly 518,000 units in August. Year-to-date EV exports surpassed 3.3 million units as Chinese manufacturers increasingly looked to overseas markets for growth.
- North American EV sales fell 33 percent year-over-year in August – the steepest decline of 2026 – bringing the year-to-date drop to 21 percent. According to Benchmark, the comparison is heavily influenced by elevated U.S. sales in August 2025, ahead of the expiration of federal EV tax credits. U.S. EV sales increased modestly month-over-month in August 2026. (Read More)