French car market, USA News (France): The automotive landscape in France continues to evolve at a remarkable pace. According to the latest data published by AAA Data, 61,958 new electric cars were registered in October 2026, capturing 41 percent of the market. A year earlier, this powertrain accounted for just 24 percent, marking a 17-point market share gain in twelve months as electric vehicles close in on hybrids, which remain in the registration lead.
This momentum supported overall market growth, with sales rising 7 percent compared to October 2025 and 4 percent since the beginning of the year. Electric motorizations reached nearly a third of total year-to-date market share, driven by a renewed product lineup, purchasing assistance schemes, and rising fuel prices.
The month’s surprise came from the new electric Renault Twingo. With 4,747 registrations in October, the small city car claimed first place in the battery-electric ranking ahead of the Renault 5, which recorded 4,666 sales. An 81-vehicle margin highlights the prominent role urban models occupy in this category.
Peugeot followed with the e-208, registering 3,221 units, while the Renault Scénic E-Tech ranked fourth with 3,037 units. The Citroën ë-C3 completed the top five with 2,736 vehicles, securing three spots in the top five electric vehicles for Renault amid growing competition.
Public subsidies continue to support the sector. Energy savings certificate schemes can reach up to 5,700 euros for lower-income households, while a social leasing scheme renewed in July provides 50,000 vehicles with monthly payments capped at 200 euros. These measures help lower access costs to electric vehicles.
Private individuals registered 37,746 electric cars, representing 45 percent of their new vehicle purchases. Fleets posted a comparable proportion at 46 percent with 18,265 units, up 54 percent year-on-year. Overall registrations by private individuals rose 18 percent to 84,757 cars, making up 57 percent of the market.
Traditional powertrains continued their decline. October petrol car registrations dropped 44 percent to 14,909 units, holding a 10 percent market share. Diesel registrations fell 65 percent to 2,034 new cars, representing roughly 1 percent of the French market. Tax and energy contexts heavily penalize thermal vehicles, with a CO2 penalty starting at 108 g/km and weight penalties beginning at 1,500 kg, alongside high fuel prices where diesel averaged around 2.30 euros per liter compared to 2.12 euros for SP95-E10.
Hybrids maintained top market position with 65,925 registrations and 44 percent market share despite a 4 percent volume decline. Non-rechargeable hybrids totaled 28,143 units, down 2 percent, while micro-hybrids fell 12 percent to 25,707 registrations. Plug-in hybrids rose 13 percent to 10,503 units, representing 7 percent of the market. Range-extended electrics reached 1,572 units, up 15 percent.
Chinese manufacturers stand out in the plug-in hybrid segment. BYD secured four of the top five places with the Atto 2 DM-i leading at 2,166 units, followed by the Jaecoo 7, BYD Seal U DM-i, Sealion 5 DM-i, and Dolphin G DM-i. Meanwhile, LPG models maintained resilience with 4,514 registrations, up 4 percent, largely driven by Dacia.
The used car market faced a difficult period, with transactions falling 7.2 percent to 448,986 in October. Diesel used cars dropped 16.9 percent and petrol fell 8.7 percent. However, used electric cars grew 42.8 percent to 27,961 transactions, representing 6.23 percent of the secondhand market following the September introduction of dedicated secondhand electric vehicle subsidies.
