The registration figures for May have just been published by the French Automotive Platform (PFA). The passenger car market grew by 3.7%, with 128,484 vehicles registered. This is higher than in May 2025, which nevertheless had two additional working days (corresponding to an increase of over 15% when adjusted for the number of days). Unsurprisingly, electric vehicles are driving sales, continuing their growth and accounting for 35% of the market (EVs and plug-in hybrids), the highest level on record.
The economic climate has become very favourable for electric vehicles
Fuel prices have remained above €2 per litre for more than three months, and the impact is clearly being felt in new car registrations. Many motorists are turning away from internal combustion engines and opting instead for plug-in hybrids and, above all, electric cars. The share of these powertrains exceeded 35% in May 2026, its highest level on record. By way of comparison, these powertrains accounted for just 22% a year ago. The shift towards the transition began gradually towards the end of 2025 but has really gained momentum since March and the hostilities in the Persian Gulf. Although Chinese manufacturers are launching a massive commercial offensive in Europe, the figures show that traditional brands are able to respond thanks to their varied and increasingly affordable electric offerings.
EVs: a third of new registrations
In detail, 128,484 passenger cars were sold in France in May 2026, including more than 37,000 electric vehicles. The share of EVs rose by 90% compared with May 2025. This brings the market share of electric vehicles to one-third of new registrations. A record. If we include plug-in hybrids, more than one in three new cars is now electrified, and almost half of these are in company fleets.
Looking at the trend over the first five months of the year, the market has remained fairly stable, down by 0.6%, with 668,379 units sold across all engine types. More than 185,700 electric cars were delivered, accounting for a 27% market share; whilst more than 340,400 hybrids (both standard and plug-in) were registered, representing 50% of the new car market. Petrol models (barely 15%) and diesel models (less than 3%) have clearly been relegated to the sidelines.
Between January and May, Stellantis recorded a market share of 29.6%, whilst the Renault Group recorded 26.7%. These figures demonstrate the strong momentum of French brands and highlight the breadth of their electric vehicle ranges.
Top 10 electric models
In the rankings of the best-selling electric cars in May 2026, the Tesla Model Y SUV tops the list with 3,874 units sold, followed by the Renault R5 (2,947 units) and then the Renault Scenic (1,624 units). The rest of the top 10 best-selling electric cars include the Tesla Model 3, the Renault Megane e-Tech, the Peugeot e-3008, the Skoda Elroq, the Citroën ë-C3 (down 20%), the Peugeot e-208 and the VW ID4.
It is worth noting the strong performance of foreign cars such as the XPeng (583 registrations) and the new BMW iX3 (over 500 units). As for the latest Twingo, which has only just been launched, it has already recorded nearly 1,000 sales in a month.
The Renault R5 has been in the lead since January 2026
Since the start of 2026, the R5 has been the market leader with 16,449 units sold (representing 2.5% of registrations), closely followed by the Tesla Model Y (16,000 registrations and 2.4% of the market) and then the Citroën ë-C3 (7,023 units, representing 1.1% of sales).
Finally, across all engine types, if we look at the breakdown of new cars sold, 53% are now SUVs and 42% are saloons, leaving only a fraction for body styles such as estate cars and convertibles. Compact and traditional two-seaters, meanwhile, have all but disappeared from the market, leaving a sense that the car fleet has become completely uniform.
