Electric cars reach 42% of new car registrations in France

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  Fully electric cars accounted for 42% of new car registrations in France in September 2026, twice the share recorded a year earlier.

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  The increase was supported in part by the government’s relaunched social leasing scheme for lower-income households.

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  Smaller, less expensive models drove much of the wider sales growth, with some costing less than €20,000 before incentives.

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  Chinese electric cars held a 6.7% market share so far in 2026, compared with 6.1% over the same period the previous year.

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  The figures were reported as the Paris Motor Show opened on 12 October.

Who

Buyers registering new cars in France, including buyers of fully electric models.

What

Fully electric cars made up 42% of new car registrations in September, twice the share a year earlier.

When

September 2026.

Where

France.

Why

Growth was supported in part by the government’s relaunched social leasing scheme and by demand for smaller, cheaper models.

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