EV sales soar as 98% of new cars in Norway are electric – 'One of Europe's biggest success stories'

The electric car revolution continues to pick up steam as new data shows that one in four new cars sold in key European markets are zero emission.

Fresh research shows that 224,266 new battery electric vehicles were sold in July 2026, marking an impressive 13.6 per cent year-on-year rise.

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The estimated share of battery electric vehicles across the European Union is around 25 per cent, while this rises to 25.7 per cent in key markets.

Drivers across the continent are increasingly opting for new electric cars, as data shows almost 1.5 million EV sales so far this year, a huge 30 per cent jump compared to 2025.

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By volume, Germany is leading the charge, with 78,609 electric car registrations in July, alongside a market share of 29.3 per cent.

Drivers across Germany have been backed with a huge €3billion (£2.56billion) investment from the government to help individuals and families up to €6,000 (£5,131).

Other nations with large sales volumes include France (44,378), the Netherlands (13,267), Belgium (12,542), Denmark (11,671) and Spain (11,187).

Chris Heron, secretary general of E-Mobility Europe, said: “Europe’s electric car market continues to grow at pace.

“France and Germany stand out, with EVs reaching 35 per cent and almost 30 per cent of new car sales. When governments provide clear, consistent support, the market responds.”

However, Mr Heron noted that EV sales progress was “not consistent across all European markets”, specifically pointing to Italy.

Italy’s “stop-start” sales patterns have been criticised by some experts, who argue that they were wrong to end the subsidy on June 30, 2026.

Data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) notes that drivers in Italy get a five-year tax exemption from the date of first registration.

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Following the removal of certain incentives, the electric vehicle share fell from 10.1 per cent to 5.9 per cent in just a month.

At the other end of the spectrum, Scandinavian countries continue to see high market shares for electric vehicles.

This is headlined by Norway, which saw the EV market share soar to 97.6 per cent in July, with drivers buying just a handful of petrol and diesel vehicles.

More than eight in 10 new cars sold in Denmark are also zero emission, with year-on-year sales jumping by 39 per cent.

Only two nations – Sweden and the Netherlands – have seen a decline in year-on-year registrations, while Poland has only grown by 0.4 per cent.

“Electric cars remain one of Europe’s biggest success stories in 2026, and governments must deliver stable, predictable policies to stay part of that growth,” Mr Heron said.