Global EV Market Hits 1.60 Million Units in April 2026 Amid Regional Divergence

Global electric vehicle sales reached 1.60 million units in April 2026, bringing total EV sales for the first four months of the year to 5.6 million units, according to new data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

April sales increased 6% year over year but declined 9% from March, reflecting what the company described as moderating growth and increasing regional divergence across global markets.

China remained the largest EV market with 850,000 units sold in April, though year-to-date sales are down 17% compared to the same period in 2025. Europe continued to post the strongest growth among major regions, with April sales surpassing 400,000 units and year-to-date growth reaching 26%. North America, meanwhile, saw EV sales decline 25% year to date.

“The global EV market reached 1.60 million units in April 2026, with growth moderating to 6% year-on-year and declining 9% month-on-month after March’s surge,” said Charles Lester, data manager at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. “Overall, the market is entering a more complex phase, with regional divergence, export growth, and shifting competitive dynamics shaping global trends.”

Europe Continues Strong Growth

Europe remained the primary growth engine for EV adoption in early 2026. EV sales in France and Germany rose 36% and 33% year to date, respectively, while Italy nearly doubled its EV sales, supported in part by government subsidies and growing participation from Chinese manufacturers.

Benchmark attributed continued demand growth in Europe to policy incentives, higher petrol prices tied to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and increasing availability of Chinese-built EVs.

Chinese-produced EVs accounted for 22% of EV sales in Europe during the first four months of 2026, up from 19% in 2025. Chinese automakers are also expanding manufacturing efforts within Europe.

Among recent developments:

• Stellantis and Leapmotor announced plans to manufacture Leapmotor’s B10 C-SUV at Stellantis’ Zaragoza, Spain facility.
• SAIC Motor, through its MG brand, is reportedly exploring use of underutilized European manufacturing capacity owned by Volkswagen.
• Xpeng produced its first locally built P7+ model at Magna Steyr’s facility in Graz, Austria.
• BYD continues ramping production at its Szeged, Hungary plant.

North America Faces Slower Adoption

North American EV sales remained subdued in both the United States and Canada through April.

Mexico stood out as a growth market, with EV sales increasing nearly 50%, driven largely by Chinese imports shipped ahead of new tariff implementation.

Canada’s EV market declined 7% year to date, though the country recently introduced its Electric Vehicle Affordability Program, offering incentives of up to CAD 5,000 for qualifying EV purchases.

In the United States:

• Rivian began customer production of its R2 vehicle at its Normal, Illinois plant and announced plans to expand future Georgia production capacity.
• Tesla confirmed the start of Cybercab production, with larger production volumes expected later in 2026.

China Sees Export Surge Amid Domestic Weakness

China’s domestic EV market continued to face pressure in 2026, particularly in smaller vehicle segments affected by subsidy adjustments introduced earlier in the year.

At the same time, exports from China accelerated sharply. EV exports exceeded 400,000 units in April alone, and nearly 1.4 million EVs were exported during the first four months of 2026 — more than double the level recorded during the same period in 2025.

The increase in exports has contributed to greater Chinese EV penetration in markets including Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia.