Europe's electric car sales jump 49% as global EV sales grow

Global EV sales climbed 8% in October 2026 to 2.09 million units, with Europe's battery electric vehicle sales surging 49% year-over-year and reaching 4.5 million for the year. North America posted its first year-over-year increase in 2026 at 24%, though this gain is largely due to comparing against October 2025 when the federal EV tax credit had just expired and sales had plummeted. Europe's growth was driven by strong performance across major markets, including Germany where EVs topped 45% of new car sales.