Electric cars: 42% of the French market, combustion engines decline
- Published on 01/10/2026 18:02
Electric cars are now closely following hybrids in French registrations, in a new car market that rose by 12% in September 2026.
The electric segment is on the verge of taking the lead. With 65,243 registrations in September, this engine type captures 42% of the French market for new passenger cars, compared to 43% for hybrids, across all technologies. According to data published by AAA DATA, its volumes surged by 108% compared to September 2025.
This surge accompanies the recovery of the automotive market. In total, 156,629 new cars were registered during the month, marking a 12% increase with the same number of working days. Since January, the total has reached 1,234,945 units, an increase of 4%.
Renault shines in electric
Individuals significantly fuel this recovery: their purchases increased by 27%, totaling 88,548 cars. In this channel, electric vehicles even represent 47% of registrations. AAA DATA particularly highlights the support from social leasing and grants funded by energy savings certificates.
Leading the monthly electric rankings, the Tesla Model Y totaled 8,183 registrations. It outpaces the Renault 5, with 5,224 units, and the Renault Twingo IV, credited with 4,988 examples.
In the face of this acceleration, hybrids maintain a slight lead, but their volumes fell by 6%. Petrol models plummeted by 39%, down to 16,391 units, while diesel dropped by 62%, with only 2,412 registrations. LPG holds steady: its volumes increased by 23%.
The second-hand market presents a different picture. Its 435,236 transactions indicate a decline of 5%. Once again, electric vehicles are advancing, with a 32% increase, totaling 22,428 units. However, they only represent 5% of transactions: transforming the fleet will take much longer than that of new sales.
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This page is translated from the original post "Voitures électriques : 42 % du marché français, le thermique décroche" in French.
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