Global EV sales rose in July – except in North America
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- Global EV sales rose 9% in July to approximately 1.85 million units, bringing 2026 year-to-date sales to 11.5 million (+4% YoY), per Benchmark Mineral Intelligence analyst George Whitcombe
- Europe delivered 450,000 July EV sales (+33% YoY), with YTD reaching 3 million (+28%); France jumped 81% to a record 37% EV penetration rate, Germany rose 46%, and the UK rose 43%
- Rest of World nearly doubled July sales to 280,000, with YTD volume hitting 1.7 million (+96% YoY) — the fastest-growing region in the dataset
- China recorded 980,000 July EV sales (-5% YoY), but BEVs actually rose 6% while PHEVs fell 21.1%, extended-range EVs dropped 16.5%, and gas cars plunged 44%; NEVs reached a record 65.1% share of retail auto sales
- Chinese automakers exported more than 500,000 NEVs in July — another monthly record — as domestic growth plateaued and OEMs looked overseas
- North America posted 140,000 July EV sales (-27% YoY), with US sales down more than 30%, a slump Benchmark attributed to the Trump administration's elimination of the federal EV tax credit on September 30, 2025
- Spain opened its Auto+ incentive program on August 4, offering up to €4,500 ($5,190) per buyer retroactively to January 1 purchases, part of a broader European subsidy expansion
Why it matters: The Trump administration's elimination of the federal EV tax credit on September 30, 2025 has coincided with US EV sales falling more than 30% in July, even as Europe surges (+33% YoY) and emerging markets nearly double. With Chinese automakers exporting over 500,000 NEVs in July alone, North America is ceding ground at the exact moment global EV competition is intensifying — fewer US models on lots, weaker consumer incentives, and foreign OEMs capturing the growth.
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