Electric vehicle sales in Europe grew by more than 40% in the last quarter.

Omissions

• The last full quarter with published data at the time of the speech (Q1 2026, data released around mid-April 2026) showed BEV sales growth of ~26% YoY in Europe (Eleport: 26.2%; best-selling-cars: +26% to 723,704 units), well below the claimed 'more than 40%'.
• Q2 2026 (April–June) data was not fully published by 7 July 2026: ACEA released June 2026 registrations only around mid-July 2026. June 2026 alone showed +51% YoY in Europe (best-selling-cars) or +61% in the EU (fuelcellsworks, published 23 July 2026), but those sources post-date the session and April/May monthly figures could not be verified, so no full Q2 quarterly growth rate is established.
• PwC/Strategy& reported +36% for BEVs in Q1 2026 across the EU's top five markets only — a narrower geographic scope, and still below 40%.
• The French phrasing 'plus de 40 % des ventes supplémentaires de véhicules électriques' is ambiguous: it could also be read as electric vehicles representing more than 40% of the incremental (additional) car sales, which is a different metric from sales growth.
• ACEA (H1 2026 release, published after the session) shows EU BEV market share at 20.7% for the first half of 2026, with overall EU car registrations up 5.7% year-to-date.

Sources

• PrimaryACEA — New car registrations: +5.7% in H1 2026; battery-electric 20.7% market shareNew EU car registrations rose by 5.7% year-to-date, with a strong performance in June contributing to a positive first half of 2026; battery-electric cars captured 20.7% of the EU market in H1 2026.
• SecondaryEleport — EV Sales In Europe Up In First Quarter Of 2026For EV sales in Europe, 2026 kicked off with significant growth seeing 26.2% growth in the first quarter. Every fifth car sold in Europe is an EV. After 26.5% growth in full-year 2025, Q1 2026 came in at just 10.5% (context on another metric).
• Secondarybest-selling-cars.com — 2026 (Q1) Europe: Battery-Electric Car SalesSales of battery-electric cars (BEV) increased by a strong 26% to 723,704 all-electric cars in Europe in the first quarter of 2026.
• SecondaryPwC / Strategy& — Electric Vehicle Sales Review Q1-2026Across Europe's top five markets, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) surged 36%, capturing a record 19% market share, the highest ever recorded in a first quarter.
• Secondarybest-selling-cars.com — 2026 (June & First Half) Europe: Battery-Electric Car SalesIn June 2026, new battery-electric passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, EFTA, UK) increased by 51% to 360,843 BEVs.
• SecondaryFuelCellsWorks — EU EV Sales Jump 61% in June 2026EU electric car registrations hit 270,557 in June 2026, up 61% YoY. BEV market share reaches 20.7%.