Battery electric cars account for one in five new cars sold in the EU this year.

Omissions

• The most recent data the MEP could have known at the 2026-07-07 session was the ACEA release of 23 June 2026 covering January–May 2026 (BEV share exactly 20%).
• The later ACEA release covering the full first half of 2026 (published after the session, showing 20.7%) corroborates the claim but was not available to the MEP at the time of the speech.
• The claim refers to calendar year 2026 to date ('this year'); at the session date the year was only roughly half complete, so the 20% figure reflects the year-to-date average, not the full year.

Sources

• PrimaryACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (New car registrations: +4% in May 2026 year-to-date; battery-electric 20% market share)In the first five months of 2026, 950,521 new battery-electric cars were registered, capturing 20% of the EU market. Up until May 2026, battery-electric cars accounted for 20% of the EU market, an increase from 15.3% a year earlier.
• PrimaryACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (New car registrations: +4.2% in April 2026 year-to-date)In the first four months of 2026, 746,899 new battery-electric cars were registered, capturing 19.7% of the EU market.
• PrimaryEuropean Commission – European Alternative Fuels Observatory (European EV market starts 2026 with 20% BEV share)The European passenger plug-in vehicle market recorded approximately 298,000 registrations in January 2026, representing a 22% year-on-year increase; the EU passenger car market opened 2026 with a BEV share of about 20%.
• PrimaryACEA – European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (New car registrations: +5.7% in H1 2026; battery-electric 20.7% market share)In the first half of 2026, 1,220,890 new battery-electric cars were registered, capturing 20.7% of the EU market, up from 15.6% a year earlier.