The global electric vehicle market experienced a significant slowdown in February 2026. According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, 1.1 million pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles have been sold worldwide. This represents an 11% decrease compared to both February 2025 and January 2026.
Overall, global sales reached 2.2 million vehicles in the first two months of the year, down 8% compared to the same period last year. Regionally, the situation is quite unbalanced: While Europe grows, North America and China are under pressure.
In Europe, the market grew by 1 percent in February compared to the previous month, reaching 600,000 electric vehicles after two months, and this figure is 21 percent above the previous year’s level. The driving forces of growth were primarily Germany and France; The markets of these countries grew by 26 percent and 30 percent, respectively.
But the situation in North America remains tense. Although sales in February increased 8 percent compared to the previous month, the market is down 36 percent since the beginning of the year, with only 170,000 vehicles sold. There has been a sharp decline in battery electric vehicle sales, especially in the USA. Canada is also having a weak year, with a 23 percent decline.
The decline is particularly pronounced in China: The market there collapsed by 32 percent year-on-year in February. The timing of Chinese New Year affected sales figures. Since the beginning of this year, sales of 2.2 million electric vehicles have been recorded in the People’s Republic of China; This represents a decrease of 26% compared to the same period in 2025.
Outside the major markets, sales developed much more dynamically: in the rest of the world, sales in February increased by 78% compared to the previous year, confirming the strong start of the year. Since the beginning of the year, electric vehicle sales have increased by 84%, reaching 370,000 units.
Automobile Magazine – English
