EU new car sales rose 5.1 percent in April to 972,314 units
New car sales in the European Union rose 5.1 percent year on year in April to 972,314 units, according to ACEA data. Electric and hybrid powertrains drove the increase while diesel market share continued to fall. The cumulative four-month market remains broadly flat versus 2025.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), 972,314 new cars were registered across the EU in April, up 5.1 percent year on year. The strongest gains came from fully electric and plug-in hybrid models; the petrol segment lost market share, while diesel slipped below 10 percent for another historical low. ACEA said rising defence and energy spending was weighing on household income but corporate fleet renewals continued to underpin the market.
By country, Germany reported annual growth of 5.5 percent, Spain 6.1 percent and Italy 1.4 percent. France, by contrast, contracted 5.6 percent; the French automotive body PFA attributed the decline to 'tighter credit conditions for younger drivers' and to higher fuel costs driven by the Iran war. The European Commission held its full-year cumulative market projection at 11.4 million units.
Chinese-brand market share reached a record 8.3 percent in April; ACEA said this 'deepened concerns about sustainable competition' in the bloc. A planned 5 to 6 billion euro tariff review will land on Brussels' desk in December. This article should not be read as investment advice.
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