EVs Projected to Claim Over 25% of Global Car Sales in 2026

The global picture: from fringe to mainstream

Let's put that 25% number in real terms. Five years back, EVs were the curiosity at the end of the dealership lot — something you admired, maybe test-drove, then drove home in a gas crossover. Now, according to the BloombergNEF outlook, one in every four new cars rolling off the lot somewhere on this planet will have a plug. The report goes further, suggesting electric vans, trucks, and passenger cars could pass a 50% global sales share by 2035.

China is the engine behind that curve. Per Electric Cars Report data referenced in the outlook, EVs now make up nearly two-thirds of new passenger-vehicle sales there. Meanwhile, separate reporting this week notes that electric cars have overtaken petrol cars in UK sales for the first time — a quiet milestone that would've seemed laughable a decade ago.

The U.S. catch: falling sales in a rising world

Here's where the consumer reality gets uncomfortable. Despite the global boom, BloombergNEF cut its U.S. EV outlook for the second year in a row. The report expects American EV sales to fall roughly 19% this year, blaming the rollback of federal support — including fuel-economy rules and portions of the Inflation Reduction Act. Translation: the tax rebate hurdles that used to soften the out-the-door price are getting taller, not shorter.

Add in what's happening across the pond — UK industry leaders reportedly urging leaders to "ditch impossible EV targets" — and you get a market that's splitting in two. Globally, EVs are winning. Domestically, depending on where you stand, the road is bumpier.

What this means when you're car shopping

So what do I actually tell a friend walking into a dealership right now? The global 25% milestone is real, but your grocery run doesn't care about global averages. What matters is your local incentives, your charging access, and your monthly payment.

• If you've been waiting for "the right moment" to go electric, the U.S. market is actually becoming more buyer-friendly in one twisted way: slower EV sales mean dealers have negotiating room. That out-the-door price? Worth haggling over right now.
• If you're counting on a federal rebate to make the math work, check the current status of IRA provisions before you sign. The rules have shifted, and what's eligible today may not be tomorrow.
• If you're cross-shopping a hybrid instead of a full EV, you're not behind — you're being practical. Affordability remains the single biggest barrier BloombergNEF flags, and a hybrid is a legitimate step on the path.

The headline number is exciting. The shopping reality is more nuanced. I'll keep driving, keep logging real-world range and charging costs, and keep telling you exactly where the value holds — and where it doesn't.