BYD, Chery expand EU foothold as car registrations climb for eighth straight month

EU passenger car registrations rose 5.7% in the first nine months of 2026, while electric vehicle registrations surged around 48% Y/Y to 1.93M, according to data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). BEVs accounted for 22.7% of new EU car registrations during the period, up from 16.1% a year earlier.

September registrations rose 9.3% Y/Y to 971,048 units, accelerating from 4.5% growth in August and marking the eighth consecutive month of gains.

The EU’s four largest car markets all recorded growth in September. France posted an 11.6% increase, followed by Spain at 10.2%, Italy at 9.8%, and Germany at 9.0%. ACEA said demand for electrified vehicles continued to benefit from market support measures and a broader range of available models.

Hybrid-electric vehicles retained the largest share of the EU market at 36.3% in the first nine months, while plug-in hybrids accounted for 10.1%. The combined market share of petrol and diesel cars declined to 28.2% from 36.9% a year earlier.

BEV registrations increased 79.1% in France, 58.1% in Germany, and 40.3% in Denmark. Together, the three markets accounted for 64% of total EU BEV registrations. Hybrid-electric registrations rose 10.7%, while plug-in hybrid registrations increased 18.6%.

Among automakers, Chery Automobile (CRAUY) increased its EU market share to 1.6% from 0.5% a year earlier, while BYD Company (BYDDY) rose to 2.4% from 1.0%. Tesla (TSLA) gained share to 2.2% from 1.4%, SAIC Motor increased to 2.2% from 1.9%, and Geely Group (GELYF) edged up to 2.8% from 2.7%.

Among traditional automakers, Volkswagen Group (VLKAF) held the largest market share at 26.2%, down from 27.5% a year earlier. Stellantis (STLA) maintained its share at 15.8%, while BMW Group (BMWKY) increased to 6.9% from 7.0%.

Other tickers to watch: Renault Group (RNSDF), Hyundai Motor (HYMLF), Toyota Motor (TM), Mercedes-Benz (MBGAF), Ford Motor (F), Volvo Cars (VOLAF), Nissan (NSANY), Suzuki Motor (SZKMY), Mazda (MZDAY), and Honda Motor (HMC).