The year has opened on a weaker note for car registrations in Europe, with January closing at a 3.9% decline, totalling 799,625 vehicles sold in 2026.
Among the main markets, Italy performed positively, recording a +6.2% increase with 141,993 registrations (around 8,500 more than in January 2025). Spain also saw modest growth (+1.1%), while both France and Germany contracted by 6.6%.
Looking at powertrains, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) continued their expansion, reaching 19.5% of total registrations in January and consolidating their third position. Hybrid vehicles remained the top choice, accounting for 38.6% of the market, followed by petrol models (22%). Plug-in hybrids (9.8%) and diesel cars (8.1%) completed the picture.