On the Dash:
- Global EV registrations rose 3% in May, marking three straight months of year-over-year growth.
- Europe surged 23% on subsidies and high fuel prices; China fell 9% on expired incentives.
- North America dropped 26% as tax credits expired and U.S. policy shifted toward ICE and hybrids.
Global electric vehicle demand rose for a third consecutive month in May, according to a Reuters report citing new data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
Registrations of new battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles rose 3% year over year to around 1.8 million units. The five-month total is now up 0.9% from the same period in 2025, BMI said.
Europe led all regions. Registrations climbed 23% to about 415,000 units, boosted by government subsidies and high fuel prices.
In China, May registrations fell 9% from a year earlier to roughly 987,000 vehicles. The drop followed the withdrawal of auto trade-in support and the expiration of a tax break on EV purchases earlier this year. Chinese automakers have responded by pushing further into global markets, including exploring joint ventures and production deals using underutilized factory capacity in Europe.
North America was the weakest major market. Registrations dropped 26% to around 123,000 units. The end of the U.S. federal EV tax credit and the Trump administration’s push to ease emissions rules have shifted industry priorities toward internal combustion engine and hybrid production. Canada’s move to open its market to some Chinese brands is not expected to significantly reverse the region’s slide, BMI said.
For U.S. dealers, the data reflects a market pulled in opposite directions. Global EV momentum is building. The policy environment at home continues to point the other way.
