New passenger car registrations in Europe increase in September, while Romania records declines and accelerates the transition to electric cars

New passenger car registrations in Europe, including the European Union, the United Kingdom and EFTA countries, increased by 10.2% in September 2026, to 1.363 million units, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). During the same period, Romania’s car market declined by 11.2%, with 11,068 passenger cars registered, compared with 12,463 in September 2025.

European growth is driven mainly by electric and hybrid vehicles. Battery electric car sales advanced by 59.9%, while plug-in hybrid sales rose by 24%. By contrast, deliveries of petrol-powered cars fell by 20.6%, and diesel deliveries by 28.2%.

All major European markets reported growth in September: the United Kingdom, 12%; France, 11.6%; Spain, 10.2%; Italy, 9.8%; and Germany, 9%.

In the first nine months of 2026, European registrations increased by 6.3%, to 10.55 million passenger cars. Romania recorded a decline of 10.6%, with 97,210 units, surpassed negatively only by Cyprus, where the decrease was 10.9%. The European automotive sector provides 13.5 million jobs and accounts for 8% of all employees in the European Union’s industry.