Global demand for electric vehicles grew for the second consecutive month in April as high gasoline prices continued to drive consumers toward electric vehicles, data released by consulting firm Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI) showed on Wednesday.
BMI said the number of newly registered pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles worldwide rose 6% year-on-year in April to 1.6 million, although it was down 9% from the monthly record set in March.
"Policy incentives, rising gasoline prices, and the increasing influence of Chinese auto companies continue to support market demand," BMI said in a statement.
Governments continue to take steps to cap fuel prices after conflict in the Middle East disrupted a key oil shipping route.
A recent study showed that European electric car registrations increased by 27% in April to approximately 400,000 vehicles. Meanwhile, the European Economic Area and Switzerland have committed nearly 200 billion euros (approximately $235 billion) to their electric vehicle ecosystems.
However, BMI data shows that the global demand for pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles is uneven.
In the Chinese market, new car registrations fell 8% year-on-year in April to approximately 850,000 vehicles.
Even so, Chinese automakers are still actively expanding overseas markets. In April alone, the export volume of electric vehicles exceeded 400,000 units. It is expected that the total auto export volume in the first four months of 2026 will be close to 1.4 million units, more than double the same period last year.
In North America, new car registrations fell 28% to 120,000 vehicles in April, hurt by the end of the U.S. tax credit program and the Trump administration's proposals to further relax carbon emissions rules. Mexico stands out, with sales up nearly 50% this year, while Canada's 7% decline is expected to be reversed after the new incentive program is introduced.
Chinese brands are also on the rise in the European market. BMI data shows that in the first four months of 2026, 22% of pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles sold in the EU were produced in China, up from 19% a year ago.