Sales of fully electric cars surged across Europe in the first quarter of 2026, as drivers increasingly turned away from combustion-engine vehicles following a sharp rise in petrol prices linked to the war in Iran.

New battery-electric vehicle registrations rose 29.4 per cent year-on-year to nearly 560,000 across 15 major European markets in the quarter, according to data compiled by E-Mobility Europe and research firm New Automotive. In March alone, registrations jumped 51.3 per cent to more than 240,000 vehicles.

The 15 markets accounted for 94 per cent of all battery-electric vehicle sales in the European Union and European Free Trade Association last year, underscoring the scale of the shift.

Industry groups linked the rise in demand directly to energy security concerns following disruptions in oil markets.

‘March’s surge in electric car sales is one of Europe’s biggest recent gains in energy security,’ E-Mobility Europe Secretary General Chris Heron said, adding that oil dependence had become a clear vulnerability.

According to the organizations, the half-million electric vehicles registered in the first quarter are expected to reduce oil consumption by around 2 million barrels per year.

Europe’s five largest electric vehicle markets, namely Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Poland, all recorded growth of more than 40 per cent in battery-electric sales so far this year.

The groups estimated that 21.2 per cent of all new cars registered across the EU and EFTA in March were fully electric.

In Britain, Europe’s second-largest electric vehicle market after Germany, registrations rose 12.8 per cent in the first quarter, accounting for 22.5 per cent of all new car sales, according to separate figures published earlier this month.

The growth offers a boost for Europe’s electric vehicle sector at a time when policymakers are seeking to accelerate the energy transition while reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets.

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