Global sales of electric cars rebounded sharply in the second quarter with sales reaching record levels in 50 countries, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest report – Electric Car Markets in a Time of Uncertainty.
Global car sales fell by around 5% year-on-year from January through June as purchases declined in the world’s two largest markets – China and the United States – amid economic pressures, higher fuel prices and changes in policy settings, IEA said.
Despite this result, sales of electric cars surged in the second quarter of this year as the energy crisis sparked by the war in the Middle East brought fuel price volatility back into sharp focus, the report reads.
In Australia, Brazil, India, Korea and Vietnam, sales roughly doubled
Global sales of electric cars fell in the first quarter of 2026, largely reflecting lower sales in China and the US. However, they rebounded sharply in the second quarter – rising 35% compared with the first three months of the year.
Sales reached record levels in 50 countries. In Australia, Brazil, India, Korea and Vietnam – all sizable electric car markets – sales roughly doubled between March and June compared with the same period in 2025, according to the report.
Overall, more than 90 countries recorded year-on-year growth in electric car sales during the first half of 2026, IEA added.
The international organisation noted that road vehicles account for nearly half of global oil use, making the sector particularly exposed to price spikes and supply disruptions. The conflict in the Middle East that began in late February has renewed focus on oil use in road transport as a key energy security concern.
Today, electric vehicles (EVs) are in the spotlight as part of potential policy responses, thanks to the opportunity they present to enhance energy security for oil-importing countries while at the same time shielding consumers and businesses from price fluctuations.
Consumers are reacting
While governments introduce temporary tax breaks for EVs, consumers are also reacting. For example, Australia’s 34% surge in gasoline prices earlier this year coincided with a near tripling of electric car sales in April 2026 year on year.
IEA now projects that electric car sales are expected to reach 29% of total car sales worldwide in 2026.
According to the report, during the first six months of 2026, electric car exports from China almost matched the total for all of 2025.
Growing sales of electric cars, where Chinese manufacturers have established a particularly strong competitive position, are set to intensify competition for incumbent carmakers, IEA stressed.
