Global EV sales rose in July, but North America fell 27%

Global electric vehicle sales climbed 9% year-over-year to 1.85 million units in July, marking a fifth consecutive month of growth even as the world's largest EV markets diverged sharply, according to data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence published Thursday.reuters+1

Year-to-date volumes reached 11.5 million vehicles, up 4% from the same period in 2025.electrek+1

Europe Emerges as Growth Engine

Europe delivered the strongest performance among major markets, with sales jumping 33% to 450,000 units in July. Year-to-date growth in the region reached 28%, bringing total volumes to 3 million.reuters+1

France led with an 81% year-over-year surge and a record EV penetration rate of 37%, while Germany posted 46% growth and Britain 43%. Benchmark attributed the momentum to the return of subsidy programs across the continent's largest automotive markets over the past 18 months. Spain, where EV sales are already up 34% this year, opened its new Auto+ incentive program on August 4, offering buyers up to €4,500.electrek+1

China Declines Despite Record Market Share

China recorded 980,000 EV sales in July, down 5% year-over-year, with year-to-date volumes of 5.9 million falling 12%. However, the decline masks a more complex picture. New energy vehicles reached a record 65.1% share of Chinese passenger car retail sales in July, according to China Passenger Car Association data, even as overall volumes contracted for a seventh consecutive month.thenextweb+2

Battery-electric vehicle sales in China actually rose 6% year-over-year, while plug-in hybrid and extended-range EV sales dragged down the total. Chinese automakers exported more than 500,000 NEVs in July, another monthly record.electrek

Geely led China's bestseller list in July with its Xingyuan hatchback at 32,306 units, followed by Leapmotor's A10 and Tesla's ↗ 3.80% Model Y.thenextweb

North America Slides After Tax Credit Removal

North American sales dropped 27% to 140,000 vehicles in July, with year-to-date volumes of 900,000 down 18%. U.S. sales fell more than 30% year-over-year, a decline Benchmark attributes to the elimination of federal EV tax credits by the Trump administration on September 30, 2025, and a weakened regulatory environment.reuters+1

"The global EV market continues to be defined by regional divergence," said Benchmark senior EV analyst George Whitcombe.electrek

Sales in the rest of the world nearly doubled, jumping 97% to 280,000 units in July, with year-to-date volumes of 1.7 million up 96%.reuters+1