Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are on the rise, while plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are declining. In April, plugin vehicle registrations increased 9% year over year (YoY), reaching around 1.6 million units. BEVs grew by 19% YoY, returning to double-digit growth, while PHEVs fell by 9% YoY, marking the fourth consecutive month of decline for PHEVs - a trend not seen since 2019.
As a result, year-to-date (YTD) plugin numbers are only slightly positive at +1% YoY, entirely due to the drop in PHEV sales (-10% YoY), since BEVs are already recovering with +7% growth. The contrasting trends between BEVs and PHEVs are evident in their share of plugin sales: in April, BEVs accounted for 72% of all plugin sales, about 1.15 million units, one of the highest results in recent years. This pushed the YTD breakdown to 70% BEVs and 30% PHEVs, nearing the upper limit of BEV share seen over the past 12 years, where BEVs have ranged between 50% and 70% of total plugin sales since 2014.
Globally, the start of the year was slow, largely due to changes in incentives. The end of US incentives last October and the partial removal of incentives in China at the end of 2025 had a significant impact, as these are the world’s third and first largest EV markets, respectively. Excluding China and the USA, global EV sales jumped 50% YoY in April, with BEVs surging 63% YoY - their highest growth rate since June 2023. PHEVs, however, grew only 23% YoY outside China and the USA, their lowest rate in over a year, suggesting a more structural slowdown for PHEVs.
Despite declines in some high-profile markets, many others are experiencing rapid growth:
- Australia: BEVs up 157%, reaching 16% share
- Italy: BEVs up 99% YoY, now at 9% share
- Argentina: BEVs grew from under 100 units in April 2025 to over 1,300 units last month
- Ireland: BEVs doubled to 3,000 units, or 27% share
- South Korea: BEVs up 160% YoY, to 36,000 units, or 24% share
- Vietnam: BEVs tripled to 26,000 units, or 43% share
- Japan: BEVs more than doubled YoY, to 7,000 units, or 2% share
- Indonesia: EV sales up 93% to 15,000 units, or 18% share
- Malaysia: BEVs up 104% YoY to 6,000 units, or 8% share
The EV revolution remains strong, and with ongoing events in the Middle East, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales are likely to decline even faster.
In April, BEVs reached a 17% market share, rising to 24% when including PHEVs. This performance pushed the 2026 plugin share to 21%, with BEVs at 15% and PHEVs at 6%. Plugless hybrids now represent 15% of total sales, up one point from last year, meaning that 36% of global car sales already feature some form of electrification. The automotive market is steadily moving toward electrification.
Examining the best-selling models, the Chinese market is rebounding quickly. No legacy OEMs appeared in the top 20, and the Tesla Model 3 (20,436 units, down 29% YoY) dropped to 10th place. The Tesla Model Y remained the leader (71,510 units, up 31% YoY), benefiting from new standard versions and a three-row body style.
The Geely Xingyuan (EX2 in export markets) completed the podium with about 42,000 registrations, compensating for weaker domestic demand with increased exports. The BYD Song took 3rd place, boosted by the new Ultra body and flash charging capabilities. The BYD Yuan Up/Atto 2 secured 4th, thanks to a refresh and a new PHEV version.
The Xiaomi SU7, after a recent update, reached 26,826 registrations and the 5th spot. In the lower half of the table, the Xpeng Mona M03 returned to the top 20 at #18. Leapmotor’s new A10 small crossover debuted at 15th in only its second month, marking the best start ever for a model from the brand. The Qiyuan Q05 also set a record with 16,334 units at #12.
Outside the top 20, BMW’s iX1/X1 PHEV twins led legacy models with 11,837 units, ahead of the Skoda Elroq (11,000 units) and two Toyotas (BZ4X and BZ3X, both around 10,000 units).
Year to date, the Tesla Model Y is far ahead, selling nearly three times as much as the second-place Geely Xingyuan. Globally, it is the only EV in the overall top 10, just behind the Toyota Corolla. Notably, a Toyota Corolla BEV is expected next year, signaling Toyota’s growing commitment to EVs.
The Geely Xingyuan has overtaken the Tesla Model 3 to become the new runner-up, while the Model 3 remains ahead of the BYD Song. However, with the BYD Song’s new generation and an upcoming refresh for the Xingyuan, the Model 3 may struggle to keep its podium position, which it has held since 2018.
Below the podium, the BYD Yuan Up moved up to 6th, placing three BYDs in the top six. The BYD Sealion 06 climbed five spots to 12th, and Fang Cheng Bao’s Tai 7 SUV rose to 11th, now just 1,000 units behind the NIO ES8 at #10. The MG 4 hatchback jumped three positions to 13th, and the Deepal S05 entered the top 20 at #18.
Among manufacturers, BYD, Tesla (+11% YoY), and Geely held the top three spots. Leapmotor achieved a record 71,000+ registrations in April, finishing 4th and surpassing Volkswagen. With several new models launching, Leapmotor’s growth is expected to continue, potentially challenging Geely for 3rd place soon.
Toyota also stood out, finishing 5th with a record 43,944 registrations, just under 1,000 units behind Volkswagen. The BZ3X and BZ4X EVs are driving Toyota’s momentum, along with ramping up models like the C-HR+ EV and BZ7. Toyota’s ability to sell large volumes in China, Europe, and the USA, with region-specific models, bodes well for its future prospects and a potential podium finish.
Changan’s EV brands, Qiyuan and Deepal, also achieved record results, ranking 14th and 13th, respectively, thanks to the popularity of their compact crossovers.
In the YTD rankings, Leapmotor jumped six positions to 6th and is poised to overtake BMW and possibly Volkswagen in the coming months. Toyota climbed to 8th and is expected to continue rising, showing strong potential among legacy brands.
In the lower half of the table, Xiaomi moved up to 12th, and Volvo rose to 18th despite a slow month, surpassing AITO. Fang Cheng Bao finished at #21, just 2,000 units behind Xpeng, and could soon enter the top 20 as exports grow. Deepal, currently on a record streak, may also join the top 20 soon.
Among OEMs, BYD leads with 17.8% share (up from 17.1% in March 2026), while Geely holds 8.9% (down 0.3%). Tesla, at 8% (down from 8.9%), remains ahead of Volkswagen Group (7.6%, down 0.1%), securing a podium spot for the year.
SAIC stayed in 5th, gaining ground over Chery (4.3%, up 0.8%), which is expanding in export markets through multiple brands. Changan (3.9%) is also rising, driven by Qiyuan and Deepal, while Toyota entered the top 10 with 2.8% share, surpassing Stellantis in April.
For BEVs alone, about 4 million registrations have been recorded this year, representing 70% of total plugin sales. If this trend continues, BEVs could end the year above 75% share, their best result since 2012. At the top, Tesla (11.5%, down 1.3%) lost the lead to BYD (12.1%, up 1%). With BYD ramping up deliveries of its second-generation Blade Battery, it is expected to maintain its leadership position.
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