Gasoline-only cars fall below 50% of global sales as EVs surge in 2026
Gasoline-only vehicles now make up less than half of global new car sales for the first time.
For the first time, gasoline-only vehicles accounted for less than half of global new car sales. According to Mobility Global, they made up 49 per cent of sales in the first half of 2026.
Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids represented 35 per cent of sales, with diesel and other fuel types making up the rest. The trend is particularly pronounced in China, where gasoline-only vehicle sales dropped 26 per cent compared with a year earlier, and in Europe, where the decline was 13 per cent. Rising fuel prices, driven partly by the ongoing conflict in Iran, are motivating drivers to explore EV options.
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In Canada, progress is steady. Statistics Canada reports nearly 59,000 zero-emission vehicles were registered in the second quarter of 2026, a rise of 27 per cent year-over-year.
Gasoline vehicle registrations, meanwhile, fell by over seven per cent. Combined with conventional hybrids, more than one in four new vehicles in Canada now have some form of electric power.
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A survey from CDK Global revealed that 94 per cent of EV owners wouldn’t return to gas-powered vehicles. While Canada lags behind global leaders, the shift towards electrification is gaining momentum nationwide. The road to an electric future is becoming increasingly clear.
