BMI: Global EV Sales Reach 1.85 Million in July, Up 9 Percent
Global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) reached 1.85 million units in July 2026, tallying a 9 percent year-on-year increase and bringing year-to-date sales to 11.5 million units, according to data released by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI).
While global expansion accelerated following a turbulent first quarter, regional market conditions diverged sharply.
Strong growth in Europe, bolstered by consumer subsidy frameworks, contrasted with deep contractions in North America following the expiration of US federal tax incentives late last year.
Concurrently, domestic sales in China showed early signs of stabilization while automakers expanded overseas shipments to record levels.
The global EV market continues to be defined by regional divergence,” wrote a BMI Senior EV Analyst. “However, year-to-date EV sales growth increased yet again in July 2026 following the turbulent start to the year in both China and North America.”
Regional divergence across major markets
European EV sales expanded 33 percent year-on-year in July to 450,000 units, pushing the region’s year-to-date growth rate to 28 percent.
Despite a 17 percent month-on-month contraction, momentum remained intact across major national markets. France recorded an 81 percent year-on-year sales increase, while sales grew 46 percent in Germany and 43 percent in the UK.
In Spain, year-to-date sales rose 34 percent ahead of the August 4 launch of the government’s new ‘Auto+’ program. The initiative provides base subsidies up to €4,500 (US$5,190) for passenger EVs, retroactively applicable to January 1, 2026, replacing the MOVES III scheme that expired at the end of 2025.
Conversely, North American EV sales fell 27 percent year-on-year in July to 140,000 units. The contraction follows the removal of US federal EV tax credits at the end of September 2025.
In Canada, regulators began allocating import permits under a bilateral quota agreement with China allowing up to 49,000 Chinese-made EVs annually at reduced tariff rates.
Authorities allocated more than half of the 24,500 permits available for the first six-month window by mid-August, including 2,400 permits issued during the first week of the month.
China’s domestic EV market contracted 5 percent year-on-year in July to 980,000 units, improving its year-to-date performance to -12 percent.
Despite lower absolute sales volumes compared to 2025, EV market penetration exceeded 50 percent across multiple months in 2026, up from 48 percent across the first seven months of 2025, as overall combustion vehicle sales dropped at a faster rate.
Chinese manufacturers also expanded international shipments, exporting a record 500,000 new energy vehicles in July.
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