On October 6, data released by Mobility Global revealed a historic milestone: in the first half of 2026, the proportion of pure gasoline-powered vehicles in global new car sales will plummet below 50% for the first time, reaching just 49%. This represents a dramatic drop of 24 percentage points from the 73% recorded in 2021. During this same period, the overall automotive market experienced a contraction of approximately 5%, while the decline in sales of pure gasoline vehicles was twice as severe as the overall market downturn. Industry experts attribute this significant market shift mainly to the skyrocketing oil prices, exacerbated by conflicts in the Middle East, which have led to substantial increases in fuel costs. Consequently, consumers are increasingly turning to vehicle models with lower operating expenses.
Breaking it down by region, gasoline vehicle sales in China witnessed a staggering 26% year-on-year decline in the first half of the year, marking the largest decrease globally. Meanwhile, Europe saw a 13% drop. On the flip side, pure electric vehicle sales demonstrated robust growth. Europe experienced a remarkable 32% year-on-year increase, reaching 1.81 million units. Southeast Asia witnessed an even more impressive surge, with an 81% increase, totaling 350,000 units. Oceania doubled its sales, reaching 110,000 units.