A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) has found that electric car sales are expected to rise in 2026, and will account for nearly 30 percent of all cars sold worldwide.
The IEA’s annual Global EV Outlook finds that EVs experienced record sales in nearly 100 countries during 2025 and will continue to see that momentum in 2026. The report examined key market and policy trends related to EV deployment and the EV charging infrastructure, as well as on EV adoption’s impact on electricity, oil and emissions.
“In 2025, global electric car sales grew by 20 percent to exceed 20 million, meaning that a quarter of all new cars sold worldwide were electric. In around 40 countries, electric cars accounted for 10 percent or more of new cars sold,” the association said. “In terms of production, Chinese automakers supplied 60 percent of electric cars sold worldwide, while European and North American automakers were each responsible for about 15 percent of global sales.”
Following policy changes in China and the U.S., global sales of EVs in 2026’s first quarter fell by 8 percent compared to the same time period in 2025. However, the overall decline masked strong sales growth in other countries and regions, the report said. In Europe, sales increased by close to 30 percent year-over-year, and in the Asia Pacific region (excluding China), sales jumped by 80 percent. In Latin America, sales were up 75 percent. Nearly 90 countries saw year-on-year growth in March, with a third of them registering record-breaking monthly sales.
“Electric car sales set new records in close to 100 countries last year. The growing popularity of EVs has marked a major shift for car markets and the energy system as a whole – and it is providing some relief now amid the largest oil supply shock in history,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said. “Looking ahead, the falls we have seen in battery prices and the potential policy responses to the current global energy crisis are set to provide further momentum in EV markets.”