Gas-Only Cars Fall Below 50% Global Car Sales

Gasoline-only cars dropped below 50% of global new-car sales for the first time ever in the first half of 2026, according to Mobility Global data. This marks a significant change from 2021, when gas cars made up 73% of the market. While battery-electric vehicles (EVs) saw a 12% increase in sales to 6.87 million units, representing 17% of global sales, hybrids performed even better with a 10% increase to 7.27 million units, accounting for 18% of sales.

Despite this, 83% of new vehicles still had some form of combustion engine, including diesel vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and other alternative-fuel categories. The global car market itself shrank by about 5% in the first half of 2026, and gas-only sales fell even faster, dropping from 52% to 49% in just one year. China saw the largest decrease in gas-only sales, falling by 26%, while Europe declined by 13%.

EV growth remained strong outside the US, with Europe seeing a 32% increase to 1.81 million units and Southeast Asia jumping 81% to 350,000 units. In the US, hybrid sales reached a record 16.3% of total sales in Q2 2026. Rising fuel prices have also contributed to the shift, as buyers look for vehicles with lower running costs. Mobility Global associate director Yoshiaki Kawano expects EV demand to grow more from consumer preference than subsidies as prices continue to fall.