Electric vehicle registrations worldwide rose 6% year-over-year to 1.6 million units in April, extending a two-month growth streak fueled by soaring gasoline prices from the ongoing Iran conflict, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence reported Wednesday.
Europe led the charge with a 27% surge to 400,000 units, bolstered by nearly €200 billion in committed EV incentives across the region. First-quarter battery-electric sales there hit 723,000 units, up 26%.
China’s domestic car market slumped 21.5% to 1.4 million units, its weakest since 2022, but new-energy vehicle exports exploded, doubling to over 400,000 units and surpassing traditional car shipments for the first time.
Philippines Joins EV Surge
In the Philippines, electrified vehicle sales bucked the trend, climbing 36.2% to 11,800 units in Q1 2026 despite a 10% drop in overall vehicle sales to 105,642 units. Plug-in hybrids led with a 924.6% jump to 1,250 units, while battery EVs exploded 486% month-on-month in March alone. March sales doubled to 6,148 units amid a national energy emergency, capturing 17% market share as consumers ditched gasoline amid rising pump prices.
North America lagged, with U.S. registrations down 28% to 120,000 units after tax credit cuts. Yet the used EV market is booming: UK secondhand battery-electric sales jumped 32% to a record 86,943 units in Q1, grabbing 4.3% market share as buyers flee high pump prices.
Analysts caution the surge may fade if fuel costs ease post-conflict, though platforms like Autotrader report sustained buyer interest.
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