Europe EV Sales Report: BEVs Jump 39% and Reach 24% Market Share!

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Makings EVs Great Again — EV Share Jumps to 35% in Europe!

Thanks to a number of factors (new models, high gas prices, mass arrival of Chinese models, etc.), EVs have picked up again in Europe. Close to 400,000 plugin vehicles were registered in Europe in May, 275,000 of them being pure electrics (BEVs). Overall, plugin vehicles were up 28% YoY.

While PHEV growth is decreasing (May’s 10% growth rate is the lowest of the past 12 months), BEVs are picking up (they jumped 39% YoY).

And that shift is also visible in the BEV vs. PHEV sales breakdown, with BEVs having 69% of all plugin sales in May. That pushed their yearly average to 68%.

With BEVs pulling the market upwards, the year-to-date share for BEVs is 22% (32% for PHEVs and BEVs combined), which is already higher than the 2025 final result (20% BEV share, 29% adding PHEVs). This is an encouraging sign if we want to be close to 100% PEV share by the mid-2030s.

Looking at the best selling models, the big news this month was Tesla placing two models on the podium. BYD had the third podium model (Atto 2). Here’s a more detailed analysis of the top 5 EVs this month:

#1 Tesla Model Y — Tesla’s midsize crossover is back in the driver’s seat, thanks to 17,028 registrations in May, which represented a 60% jump YoY. With Model Y prices starting at €40,000, and after six years on the market, the crossover still offers an appealing package. Currently, you buy a Tesla with your wallet/head, not your heart. Which is exactly the kind of buyer that is now searching for EVs. Many of these people simply want to lower their running costs by switching from ICEVs to BEVs. (Also, it’s why they are so popular with Ubers and such.)

#2 BYD Atto 2 (BEV+PHEV) — The Chinese SUV hit 11,219 registrations last month, a new record for the small crossover, all thanks to the new PHEV version. Why so popular in Europe? Besides not having real competition in the small PHEV category, the top range version has a 18 kWh battery, providing a usable range (90 km/56 mi). Additionally, it has increasingly important vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability. With the upcoming Dolphin G PHEV small hatchback using the same powertrain, expect the Shenzhen make to have another representative in the European table soon, especially considering that the new hatchback will be made in Hungary.

#3 Tesla Model 3 — Tesla was 3rd in May, thanks to 11,116 registrations, a significant 264% increase YoY. Benefiting from the same tail winds as the Model Y (mass delivery of the standard version, surge in EV demand), the 10-year-old sedan is running along. It has a lot of demand now that price-conscious buyers are in the market and its prices, starting around 35,000 EUR, place it, a midsize sedan, in competition with models one segment below, compact hatchbacks. While the heart of the midsize car market is probably lost for the Model 3, a new segment of buyers, somewhere between the C and D segments, is giving it a second wind. It turns out Tesla’s sedan could even recover its podium position in 2026 … which is no mean feat for a 10-year-old model wearing a body type (sedan) not popular in Europe.

#4 Skoda Elroq — The Elroq was the best selling European model in May, but that granted it just the 4th spot…. Yep, in a fast growing EV market, the 9,594 registrations were not enough for a podium presence. Something for European OEMs to think about…. Looking ahead, the problem for the Czech crossover is that in the second half of 2026, a new, smaller, and more affordable Skoda crossover will land. Called the Epiq, that model risks stealing lots of sales from the current star player of the Skoda lineup, as it will be simultaneously cheaper and more modern than the Elroq. So, while the first half of 2026 might see the Elroq run with the Teslas, later in the year, we could see it slow down.

#5 BMW iX1/X1 PHEV — The German twins are in cruise control, winning another top 5 presence in May thanks to 8,358 registrations. Benefitting from favorable lease rates to help things along, the BMW crossovers are the brand’s bread and butter models, at least until the Neue Klasse models (i3 and iX3) get up to full speed. With a deep refresh coming to BMW’s compact models later this year, promising to transform them into baby Neue Klasse vehicles, expect both, but the iX1 in particular, to upgrade their specs. That will make them more interesting than the current versions and allow the Bavarian brand to keep its compact models as podium material.

Outside the top 5, there were a number of highlights to mention.

Starting with Leapmotor, we have another strong result from the Leapmotor T03 (11th, with 6,020 registrations), with the rumor mill saying that the next-generation T03 will be the base for the next-generation Fiat Panda and Citroen C2 city cars.

In the Mercedes stable, its star player, the CLA EV, clocked 5,489 registrations, while the three-pointed-star brand is ramping up both the new GLB EV seven-seater (2,500 units) and the GLC EV midsizer (1,700).

The thing is, BMW is ramping up its brand new iX3 (5,489 units) far faster than Mercedes, despite also being a recent addition to the market. That is one of the things pushing back Mercedes, its ramp-ups are slow to reach cruising speed.

Product development and initial demand is one thing, but execution and getting the car out of the factory in volumes are also critical skills. In that aspect, BMW is proving to be more agile than its Stuttgart rival.

Speaking of ramp-ups, Toyota joined the table with its new C-HR+, a BEV unrelated to the hybrid C-HR but with the same philosophy and market position. In only its third month on the market, the Japan-made EV was 18th, with a record 4,303 registrations. So … how high will this one go? Is this the star player that Toyota needs in order to stay relevant in Europe?

Outside the top 20, the Peugeot 3008 (BEV+PHEV) crossover managed its best result in two and a half years, 2,992 registrations, getting close to Stellantis’ best seller (the Citroen e-C3 — 3,398 units), but still below its French arch rival, the Renault Scenic (3,347 units in May).

Still on Renault, there’s good and bad news. The “baby G Wagon” Renault 4 electric crossover is failing to getting close to the Renault 5’s numbers (it had only 2,320 registrations in May). That’s a big disappointment, especially considering that crossovers are a hot item. Just look at the BYD Atto 2 — the new, small, chic and cheap Twingo is already at the sales level of the Renault 4, with 2,199 registrations, and considering that it is still landing in a number of countries across Europe, expect its registrations to reach significant levels in a couple of months.

The question is, how high will the cruising speed of the Twingo be? Anything below the Leapmotor T03’s 6,000 units/month should be considered a failure. After all, the Twingo (and its future Dacia cousin) is the best that Europeans can offer in 2026 in the city car category.

Looking at the 2026 ranking, the major change in the top positions was the two-position rise of the Tesla Model 3 into the 5th spot. That was to be expected, as it was the second month of the quarter. In fact, one can say that Tesla had a positive month — because both the 3rd placed Renault 5/Alpine A290 and 4th BMW iX1/X1 PHEV had somewhat underwhelming performances. Therefore, the US sedan is now only 1,300 units behind 3rd place, a small distance that should allow the Model 3 to join the podium in June, a usual peak month for the brand.

Has Tesla bottomed out? It sure seems like it. With BEV demand back in the fast lane, we could actually see the Model 3 return to the podium in 2026. Although, that would depend also on the behavior of the Renault 5 and the BMW X1 twins. Heck, we might even see the Skoda Elroq lose speed and witness a four-horse race for the silver and bronze medals….

Bring on the popcorn, because this looks to be fun!

As for the remaining changes, the BYD Atto 2 was the Climber of the Month, going up to #10. BYD’s small crossover is set to become the brand’s best seller in Europe — although, the upcoming Dolphin G could steal some sales from it.

The VW Tiguan PHEV climbed to #14, while the Mercedes EQA/GLA PHEV twins stayed at #20. Still, with the BMW iX3 riding high, I wouldn’t be surprised if the hot new electric SUV from Bavaria replaced the Mercedes twins in July….

As for the plugin auto brand ranking, the leader, Volkswagen, remained in the lead (9.3%, down from 9.4% in April), holding a comfortable advance over rising BYD (7.8%, up 0.2%). Will BYD be able to go after Volkswagen in Europe? One thing is certain — with local competitors losing scale (Renault, Stellantis, etc.), BYD looks to be the only brand able to pressure VW’s reign in Europe. Place your bets.

3rd placed BMW (7%, down 0.1%) retained the last place on the podium, but the question remains — will the German make be able to sustain Tesla’s peak in June? With the Texan brand now at 6.3% share, up from 6% in April, does it have BMW within target range? Will it get there? Something to see a month from now.

As a note, the 2025 podium was as follows: #1 Volkswagen; #2 BMW; #3 Mercedes. So Mercedes can already kiss goodbye to its podium presence, and as for BMW … let’s see how it goes.

Speaking of the three-pointed-star make (5.9%), it held steady in the 5th position, actually gaining a little bit of distance over rival Audi (5.7%, down from 5.8% in April).

Actually, looking at the three German premium brands (+ Porsche), it is the Volkswagen Group sisters that look the most troubled, with the Audi Q6 e-tron (down 26% in May) feeling the heat of the new proposals from BMW and Mercedes, the highlight being the iX3. One can say that the Bimmer is a whole generation ahead of the Q6 e-tron (and the Porsche Macan, for that matter), with the remaining Audi models not doing much better. The Q4 e-tron is selling worse than the pre-Neue Klasse BMW iX1, and the Audi A6 e-tron is roughly on par with the BMW i5.

What is even more troubling is the fact that Audi is getting left behind by the other two. Regarding new launches, the Ingolstadt make has nothing to go against the upcoming BMW i3 and Mercedes C-Class EV (and CLA EV). It’s the same story for the 2027 BMW iX5, the refreshed BMW i7 and Mercedes EQS, etc.

Heck, even Volkswagen will have to watch its back at the upper levels, as the VW ID.7 was down 22% in May, getting fewer sales than the Mercedes CLA EV (5,251 vs 5,458), and neither the BMW i3 or the Mercedes C-Class EV have yet landed….

Arranging things by automotive group, Volkswagen Group is firmly in the lead, now at 24.8% share, a 0.3% drop, a market share that is comparable to BYD’s in China. This is an important metric for the German conglomerate if it wants to stay relevant in a fully electrified global automotive market. If you can’t win at home….

#2 Stellantis was down. Again. It now has 8.6% share. While the multinational OEM’s drop seems to have no end in sight, #3 BMW Group was also down (8.5% now vs. 8.6% in March). But because Stellantis is falling faster, BMW should surpass Stellantis in June.

Rising BYD (7.9%, up 0.3%) is still in 4th place, but if things continue as they are, I wouldn’t be surprised if we were to see the Shenzhen OEM in the runner-up spot at the end of the year.

Outside the top 5, #6 Geely is rising (6.7%, up from 6.6% in April), but for the time being, it is still too far from #5 Hyundai–Kia (7.3%) to threaten it.