Europe electric car sales rise in January 2026 as growth slows

EV sales growth slows in Europe in January 2026

Electric car sales across Europe continued to rise in January 2026, although the pace of growth eased markedly compared with 2025. ACEA data shows an increase of 13.9% (189 062 units), which is less than half the 29.7% growth recorded across the whole of 2025 (adding up to more than two million units).

Biggest movers by country

Among the fastest-growing markets, Croatia stood out (+100%) alongside Poland (+216.1%). In Europe’s largest markets - Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Spain - growth was recorded in every case, with France out in front (+52.1%). The United Kingdom saw only a marginal rise of 0.1%.

CO₂ targets and the pressure on electric market share

This slowdown raises questions about whether manufacturers will be able to meet the European Union’s 2027 requirement of an average of 93.6 g/km of CO₂. That figure is calculated from the average emissions across 2025, 2026 and 2027. The quickest route to compliance - and to avoiding heavy fines - would be to sell substantially more electric vehicles.

According to industry figures, the electric share would need to be at least 22%, yet in January it reached 19.3% in the European Union.

Skoda Elroq was the best-selling electric car

When it comes to the best-selling electric models, there is a new number one: the Skoda Elroq. It moved ahead of last year’s leader, the Tesla Model Y, which was also overtaken by the Renault 5 E-Tech (+70.4%). This is despite the Model Y posting a 13.8% increase in sales compared with January 2025.

These were the 10 best-selling electric cars in Europe in January 2026:

Also noteworthy within the Top 10 is the newly arrived Mercedes-Benz CLA entering in ninth, with its steep rise linked to the launch that took place at the start of last year. Alongside the three models on the podium, the BMW iX1 (+9.9%) also achieved sales growth among the ten best-sellers. All the others - except the Volkswagen ID.3 (no change) - saw declines versus 2025.

The sharpest fall belonged to the Kia EV3 (10th place), down 39.1%. The Skoda Enyaq (7th place), despite having been updated recently, saw sales drop 19.7%, continuing a pattern seen in recent months. The Elroq’s popularity may be having a cannibalising effect on the larger Enyaq.

Volkswagen’s models - ID.3, ID.4 and ID.7 - which in previous years were often found on the podium of best-selling electric cars, slipped to 4th, 5th and 6th respectively. Only the ID.3 held its ground, with no change. By contrast, the ID.4 and ID.7 posted significant declines of 32.1% and 19.7% respectively, reflecting in part the intense competition in the electric segment.

Which brands sold the most electric cars?

Even with a pullback (-16%), Volkswagen remained the top-selling electric brand in January, registering 17 230 vehicles. Renault took second place with 14 447 units (+64%), driven by the success of the 5, but also by solid results for the 4 and the Scenic.

Skoda was third with 14 022 units, a substantial 91% increase compared with January 2025. Tesla, meanwhile, fell to 10th place, with 7794 vehicles sold, down 17%.

Among the month’s surprises, BYD stood out by reaching eighth in the European ranking, with 8711 units sold - a striking increase of 94% (the largest rise within the Top 10).