According to new data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, global electric vehicle (EV) sales totaled approximately 1.85 million units in July 2026, marking a 9% year-over-year increase. However, this growth was heavily unbalanced, with Europe and the Rest of the World (RoW) offsetting sharp declines in North America and a headline drop in China's broader new energy vehicle (NEV) category.
Europe emerged as the primary growth engine, with sales surging 33% to 450,000 units, driven by an 81% jump in France, alongside 46% growth in Germany and 43% in the UK. Government subsidies, including France's record EV penetration rate of 37% and Spain's new Auto+ incentive program (offering up to €4,500), continue to underpin this expansion. The RoW region saw sales nearly double, up 97% year-over-year to 280,000 units.
While China's total NEV sales fell 5% year-over-year to 980,000 units in July, this figure obscures a critical shift: pure battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales actually rose 6%, while plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales dropped 21.1% and extended-range EV sales fell 16.5%. This indicates a clear consumer preference for fully electric powertrains over combustion-engine alternatives, with NEVs still capturing a record 65.1% share of China's retail auto market. Chinese automakers are also expanding globally, with NEV exports exceeding 500,000 units in July, a new monthly record.
In stark contrast, North American EV sales plummeted 27% year-over-year to just 140,000 units in July, with the U.S. experiencing a drop of over 30%. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence attributes this decline to the expiration of federal tax credits (terminated on September 30, 2025) and a weakened regulatory environment. This represents a continued retreat, with year-to-date sales in the region falling 18% to 900,000 units.
This regional divergence underscores that global EV growth is not uniform. Europe and RoW are compensating for North America's contraction, while China's market is undergoing a structural transition toward pure battery electrics.
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