Tesla EU registrations jump 78.6% as BYD leads year to date
Key Facts
Tesla's new car registrations in the European Union rose 78.6% year on year in September 2026, according to European Automobile Manufacturers' Association data released on October 22, outpacing overall market growth. The company registered 45,866 vehicles, up from 25,681 in September 2025, expanding its share of the new car market. That share rose to 4.7% from 2.9% in the same month a year earlier. Across the European Union, new car registrations rose 9.3% in September. Total registrations reached 971,048 vehicles, compared with 888,529 a year earlier, according to the association's table. Tesla's September expansion thus outpaced growth in its market and was accompanied by an increased share of total new car registrations.
BYD posted faster growth than Tesla in September, with its EU registrations rising 111.4% year on year, according to the association. The company's registrations climbed to 28,309 vehicles from 13,391 in the same month a year earlier. Its share of the overall market increased to 2.9% from 1.5% a year earlier, although its monthly registrations remained below Tesla's. The year-to-date comparison, however, showed BYD ahead, with registrations of 206,002 vehicles in January–September. That compared with 80,977 vehicles in the corresponding period of 2025, representing cumulative growth of 154.4%. Its share over the period rose to 2.4% from 1.0%, putting it ahead of Tesla in registrations across January–September.
Tesla's cumulative EU registrations reached 188,035 vehicles in January–September, compared with 111,353 in the same period a year earlier, according to the association. That represented a year-on-year increase of 68.9%, with its cumulative market share rising to 2.2% from 1.4%. The company's September growth outpaced its cumulative expansion, while it remained behind BYD for the year to date. At the national market level, Reuters cited data showing Tesla's registrations in Portugal rose 128.3% year on year in September. The increase was 61.9% in France, while Sweden recorded growth of 38.4%. Registrations rose 24.8% in Spain, with gains spanning multiple EU markets.
The two companies expanded in a market where fully electric vehicles accounted for a growing share, reaching 22.7% of new car registrations in the European Union in January–September, according to the association. Their share stood at 16.1% in the corresponding period a year earlier, reflecting their growing presence in the mix of registered vehicles. Nevertheless, non-plug-in hybrids remained the most popular powertrain category among buyers. The category accounted for 36.3% of the market in January–September, ahead of fully electric vehicles by share. The association attributed strong demand for electrified vehicles to "buyer support measures and a wider range of available models," linking demand to purchase support and the variety of options on offer.
Against the backdrop of competition in the European market, the association's report for the first half of 2026 showed an expansion in EU car imports from China. The value of these imports rose 70.5%, according to the association's economic and market report. Their value reached 10.5 billion euros, while their volume exceeded 700,000 vehicles in the first half. The association said China led the rise in imports amid growing flows of cars into the European Union. The association's calendar scheduled the release of October passenger car registration data for November 24, 2026.