Top Selling Electric Vehicles in the World — March 2026

Electric vehicle (EV) sales continued to show mixed dynamics in March 2026, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) outperforming plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) by a significant margin. Global plugin vehicle registrations rose by 5% year on year to around 1.7 million units, driven primarily by a 12% increase in BEV sales, while PHEVs declined by 8%. This divergence marked the first full quarter of negative growth for PHEVs since the COVID-19 pandemic began, resulting in an overall year-to-date drop in plugin sales largely attributable to the weaker PHEV segment. BEVs accounted for 72% of all plugin sales in March, pushing their share to nearly 70% for the year so far, a level not seen since 2014. Geographically, the EV market faced headwinds in its two largest regions, the United States and China, due to the withdrawal of government incentives. The US ended its EV subsidies in October 2025, and China partially removed incentives at the end of last year, leading to slower growth in these key markets. However, excluding these two countries, global EV sales surged by 47% in March, with BEVs alone growing by 54%. Several smaller markets posted impressive gains, including Croatia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia, and Australia, highlighting that the EV revolution remains robust worldwide despite some regional setbacks. In terms of market share, BEVs reached 19% of new vehicle sales in March, rising to 26% when combined with PHEVs. This brought the year-to-date plugin share to 20%, slightly below 2025’s figure but showing signs of recovery. The growth trajectory suggests that BEVs could surpass a 20% market share by the end of 2026. Reflecting on the progress made, the plugin share of new vehicles has increased dramatically over the past five and ten years, from under 1% in 2016 to around a fifth of the market today, underscoring the rapid adoption of electric mobility. Tesla dominated the best-selling EV models in March, securing both the top two positions with the Model Y and Model 3. The Model Y saw a 35% increase in sales, boosted by the introduction of a six-seat version and a more affordable Standard variant, while the Model 3 experienced a 10% decline, likely due to its age and market saturation. Other notable performers included the Geely Xingyuan, which maintained strong export-driven sales, and BYD’s refreshed Yuan Up/Atto 2 model, which achieved record registrations following a recent update and the launch of a new PHEV version. BYD’s Song/Seal U also showed promise with its innovative Ultra body and fast-charging technology, expected to drive future sales growth. The evolving landscape of electric vehicles points to continued innovation and market shifts, with BEVs increasingly displacing PHEVs as the preferred choice for consumers.