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Global registrations of plug-in vehicles reached around 1.7 million in May 2026, up 4% compared to a year earlier. Growth came almost entirely from battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), whose sales increased by 15%, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) dropped 15% for the fifth consecutive month — the first sustained decline since 2019.
BEVs accounted for 71% of all plug-in registrations in May, with roughly 1.2 million units sold. Overall, plug-in vehicles now make up 22% of global car sales this year, including 16% BEVs and 6% PHEVs.
Demand has slowed in the United States and China following cuts to government incentives. However, excluding those two markets, global plug-in sales climbed 39% year-on-year, while BEV sales surged 47%, highlighting continued strong demand for fully electric models.
The Tesla Model Y remained the world's best-selling plug-in vehicle with 93,571 registrations, followed by the Geely Xingyuan (EX2) and the Tesla Model 3. Two BYD models — the BYD Song and BYD Yuan Up — completed the top five.
Among manufacturers, BYD remained the global leader, ahead of Tesla and Geely. Chinese EV maker Leapmotor delivered the biggest jump, climbing to fourth place after record sales of its new models.
So far this year, fully electric vehicles have accounted for around 70% of all global plug-in registrations, confirming the market's continued shift away from plug-in hybrids.
