BERLIN, 13th August, 2026 (WAM) -- Global demand for electric vehicles rose for the fifth consecutive month in July, supported by strong growth in Europe despite declining sales in China and North America.
According to data from consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence released on Wednesday, sales of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles increased by nine percent year-on-year to 1.85 million units in July, bringing total sales since the beginning of the year to 11.5 million vehicles.
The figures highlight the widening divergence among major electric vehicle markets, with subsidies supporting demand in Europe, while the US market has been affected by the removal of federal tax credits for electric vehicles. Chinese carmakers, meanwhile, are increasingly relying on exports to drive growth.
Sales in Europe rose by 33 percent to 450,000 units, bringing growth since the beginning of the year to 28 percent. France, Germany and Britain recorded electric vehicle sales growth of 81 percent, 46 percent and 43 percent, respectively, in July.
Meanwhile, sales in China fell by five percent to 980,000 vehicles, while sales in North America declined by 27 percent to 140,000 following the expiry of electric vehicle tax credits in the United States.