Every Fifth New Car Sold In Europe In January 2026 Was An EV

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.

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.

Photo by: Skoda

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.