By: Dwight Links
The International Energy Agency (IEA) outlined in its latest evaluation of the electric vehicle market as a resilient option for mobility in an ever-unpredictable world.
According to them, the sales of EVs were slightly slower in the first half but were still impressive in the three months of the year.
“Electric car sales rebounded in the second quarter of 2026, even as global car sales declined. Sales of electric cars were 4% higher year-on-year and 35% above the first quarter of 2026,” the agency described.
As a result, the segment’s sales in the first half of 2026 were only slightly lower than in the first half of 2025.
This is because the increase in second-quarter sales almost entirely offset the first-quarter decline.
The comparison with the combustion engine vehicle segment, according to the IEA, is becoming ever more obvious in light of options to counter the dependency on fossil fuels.
Road transport and electric vehicles (EVs) have been in the spotlight amid the current energy crisis.
Road vehicles account for nearly half of global oil use, making the sector particularly exposed to fuel price spikes and supply disruptions.
The report describes the current situation of conventional mobility’s reliance on petrol and diesel.
The report states that the sector is also a key driver of oil imports in import-dependent regions.
“Policy and industry responses to the energy crisis – especially those related to EVs – have the potential to further accelerate changes in a global car industry that is already in flux,” the report states.
OVERALL PICTURE
Meanwhile, the IEA says global car sales were down by around 5% year-on-year in the first half of 2026.
“This was primarily due to a drop in sales in the world’s two largest car markets – China and the United States. Overall, EVs accounted for 24% of global car sales, slightly higher than in the first half of 2025,” the agency noted.
According to their analysis, electric car sales are now expected to reach 29% of total car sales worldwide in 2026.
In Australia, Brazil, India, Korea and Vietnam, all significant electric car markets, sales have roughly doubled since the beginning of the energy crisis, compared with the same period (March-June) in 2025.
Together with strong second-quarter market momentum and policy support for EVs in Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe, these trends support the expectation that electric car sales will grow by about 10% this year, compared with 2025.
The pace of recovery in the Chinese car market remains the main constraint on global sales growth,” the report adds to a growing body of evidence.
Electric car sales in China are expected to reach similar levels as in 2025, although the EV sales share is expected to grow to more than 60% in 2026.
GLOBAL TRADE
The picture on exports is one that reinforces the trends of what is supporting the performance of EV sales.
“Surging car exports are partially shielding Chinese manufacturers from declining domestic sales. Total car sales in China declined over 20% y-o-y in the first half of 2026, with around 2.5 million fewer cars sold – equivalent to all cars sold in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in 2025,” the agency claimed.
The report notes that a response was observed where Chinese car exports grew by 65% y-o-y in the first half of 2026.
Electric car exports grew even faster, increasing by over 120% and was fully compensating for the decrease in domestic electric car sales.
As a result, the share of electric cars in China’s car exports rose from around 35% in 2025 to more than 45% in the first half of 2026, the report described a pivot strategy that was observed.
Competition is intensifying in the electric car market, where incumbent car manufacturers are less present.
Carmakers operating primarily in the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle segment still account for around 98% of ICE car sales, but only around 55% of global electric car sales.
