One In Five New Cars Sold In Europe Last Month Didn't Have An Engine

EVs had a market share of nearly 20 percent in January 2026.

Volkswagen ID.3, the front of the restyled version

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

Feb 26, at 2:26am ET

Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

Comment

The Breakdown

EVs outsold plug-in hybrids and diesels combined.
Electric cars reached a 19.7 percent share.
Volkswagen sold the most EVs in January 2026.

The European Union is backing away from a ban on combustion engines, but that doesn’t mean the electric surge is slowing down. Although automakers will still be allowed to sell ICE-powered vehicles after 2035, they might not have to, assuming EV adoption continues at the same pace. In January, one in five cars sold on the continent didn’t have a combustion engine.

A study from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) shows that purely electric vehicles accounted for 19.7 percent of new vehicles sold last month in Europe. By Europe, we mean all 27 EU member states, plus the UK and the four countries that are part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. While not the entire European continent, these 32 markets (out of 44 total countries) represent the bulk of car sales.

How did EVs fare a year ago? Looking back at the data, vehicles without combustion engines represented 16.7 percent of total sales in January 2025. Now they’re approaching the 20-percent threshold, ahead of new entries at the lower end of the market. We’re primarily talking about the Renault Twingo and Volkswagen ID.2 Polo, though Chinese competitors aren’t waiting on the sidelines either. VW will introduce an even cheaper ID.1 in 2027 to democratize EVs further.

2025 Renault 5 E-Tech

Photo by: Renault

Meanwhile, electric cars outsold plug-in hybrids and diesels combined. PHEVs stood at 10.4 percent in January 2026, while oil-burners continued their decline to just 7.2 percent. Hybrids remain king on the continent, with their share rising to 38.5 percent, while pure gasoline cars slipped to 22.5 percent.

Separately, preliminary numbers published by market researcher Dataforce (via Automotive News Europe) reveal that VW is holding on to its EV sales crown in Europe. The Wolfsburg-based automaker recorded 17,230 registrations in January, with the ID.3 leading the way at 5,417 units. The ID.4 and ID.7 were nearly tied for second place, with 4,829 units for the crossover and 4,663 for the sedan/wagon.

Renault took second place with 14,447 units, with roughly half of that volume generated by the 5 E-Tech at 7,149 registrations. The VW Group’s Skoda brand wasn’t far behind, securing the last spot on the podium with 14,022 units. Its Elroq crossover did most of the heavy lifting, accounting for 8,426 registrations.

2025 Skoda Elroq

Photo by: Skoda

What do you think?

View

Comments

Motor1's Take: If EVs continue to gain ground in Europe, carmakers won’t have to worry as much about meeting increasingly strict emissions regulations. However, with Euro 7 looming, combustion engines require extensive updates to reduce CO2 levels. Additionally, 2030 isn’t far off, and the new decade will bring further responsibilities for automakers. They’ll have to slash fleet emissions by 55 percent compared to 2021 levels. By 2035, the EU will require them to cut CO2 levels by 90 percent versus 2021.

But with continuous government incentives and cheaper electric vehicles on the way, Europe has a real shot at decarbonizing the new-car fleet. Nevertheless, there’s still a long road ahead, as combustion-engine vehicles accounted for 80 percent of total sales last month.

Europe Is Going Electric:

EVs Outsold Pure Gas Cars In Europe For The First Time Ever

The EU's New Small Electric Car Category Comes With 'Super Credits'

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motor1.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The Motor1.com Team

Share this Story

GO TO COMMENTS

(

)

Got a tip for us? Email: tips@motor1.com

View all comments ( )

Popular

The Rotary Engine Should Be Everywhere. Why Isn't It?

The 2027 BMW X5 Is Hugely Improved Where It Matters Most: Driven

Honda's Mitsubishi-Based Truck Is Official, Coming In 2028

The BMW iX5 Makes A Strong Case Against The Gas X5: Driven

Volkswagen Wanted An Electric Bugatti Tourbillon, But Mate Rimac Pushed For A V16 Engine