Global plugin vehicle registrations reached 1.8 million units in August 2026, marking a 5% year-over-year increase. Pure electric vehicles (BEVs) grew by 13%, while plugin hybrids (PHEVs) declined by 12%. BEVs accounted for 73% of total plugin sales for the month.
The Tesla Model Y remained the top-selling electric vehicle globally, despite a 12% drop in deliveries. The Geely Xingyuan secured second place with a record 52 058 units, followed by the BYD Song with 48 944 registrations. Small EVs, including the BYD Yuan Up, Seagull, and Leapmotor A10, dominated the fifth to eighth positions.
Toyota demonstrated significant growth, with its August registrations hitting a record 52 576 units, surpassing Volkswagen among legacy automakers. The Toyota RAV4 PHEV returned to the top 20 list with nearly 14 000 registrations, while the Toyota BZ4X saw a 116% year-over-year increase in sales.
Leapmotor continued its expansion with an 81% growth rate, surpassing Geely in monthly volume. Meanwhile, Zeekr achieved a record 36 981 deliveries, bolstered by export markets. Chery also reached a milestone with 31 667 deliveries, largely driven by the QQ3 EV model.
As of August 2026, the global EV share of the automotive market stood at 27% when including PHEVs, with BEVs alone representing 20%. When accounting for an additional 15% share from hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), 39% of all cars sold globally featured some form of electrification.
