EU car market grows in August, with BEVs taking 21.7% share

[Car dealership showroom interior with rows of new vehicles.] cookelma/iStock via Getty Images EU new passenger car registrations rose 4.5% Y/Y to 708,211 units in August, extending the market’s growth streak to seven consecutive months as demand for EVs remained strong, the ACEA reported on Thursday. August growth accelerated from a 3% increase in July, with the EU’s four largest car markets all recording gains. Spain posted the strongest increase at 11.8%, followed by France at 7.4%, Italy at 3.2%, and Germany at 2.6%. For the first eight months of 2026, new EU car registrations increased 5.3% despite persistent geopolitical uncertainty and rising energy prices.