Gasoline-only cars made up just 49% of global new car sales in the first half of 2026, the first time their share has dropped below half, according to a Nikkei analysis of MobilityGlobal data reported by autoevolution and the Seoul Economic Daily. High fuel prices linked to conflict in the Middle East and cheaper batteries pushed more buyers toward hybrids and electric vehicles.
- Gasoline-only share: 49% of global new car sales from January to June 2026, about 20.25 million vehicles.
- Change: Down from 52% in the first half of 2025, and from 73% in 2021.
- Electric cars: 6.87 million battery-electric vehicles sold, up 12%, for a 17% share.
- Hybrids: 7.27 million hybrids sold in the same period.
- Main drivers: Expensive fuel and falling battery prices.
How gasoline cars lost their global sales majority
For most of the car’s history, a new vehicle was almost always one that ran on gasoline alone. That changed in the first six months of 2026. Sales of gasoline-only models fell 10% from a year earlier, to about 20.25 million units, according to the figures cited by both outlets.
The Seoul Economic Daily, citing the Nikkei report, said this is the first time the share has fallen below 50% on a half-year basis since the 1920s. The slide has been fast: the share was 73% in 2021, so it has lost 24 percentage points in five years.
Gasoline-only means cars with no electric help at all. Hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars are counted separately, as are diesel vehicles.
Electric cars and hybrids take the share
Battery-electric vehicles grew to 6.87 million sales in the first half, up 12% year on year, and now account for 17% of new vehicles. Hybrids, which pair a gasoline engine with an electric motor, reached 7.27 million units, according to autoevolution.
Lower battery costs help explain the shift. The Seoul Economic Daily reported that EV battery packs averaged $99 per kWh in 2025, 28.3% lower than in 2022 and below $100 for a second year in a row. Cheaper packs make it easier for carmakers to price electric models closer to gasoline ones.
Gasoline vs electric: the key numbers
| Measure (global, Jan to Jun 2026) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Gasoline-only sales | About 20.25 million, down 10% |
| Gasoline-only share | 49% (52% a year earlier, 73% in 2021) |
| Battery-electric sales | 6.87 million, up 12% |
| Battery-electric share | 17%, up 3 points |
| Hybrid sales | 7.27 million |
| Average EV battery pack cost (2025) | $99 per kWh |
Why fuel prices matter so much
Both reports point to high oil prices tied to conflict in the Middle East as a key reason. When gasoline and diesel cost more, buyers look harder at running costs, and cars that use less fuel, or none, become more attractive.
Hybrids also benefit, because they cut fuel use without needing a charger at home. That helps explain why hybrid sales are now larger than fully electric sales worldwide.
Where the shift is happening fastest
The change is uneven across regions. Here is what the reports show:
- China: Gasoline car sales fell 26%. China sold 3.44 million battery-electric vehicles, nearly half the world total, though that figure was down 3% after tax incentives were reduced, according to autoevolution.
- Europe: Gasoline sales fell 13%, while electric registrations jumped 32% to 1.81 million. EVs outsold gasoline cars across 31 major European countries for the first time, the Seoul Economic Daily reported.
- Southeast Asia: Electric sales rose 81% to about 350,000 units.
- Oceania: Electric sales more than doubled to about 110,000 units.
- North America: Battery-electric sales fell 15%, according to autoevolution. The Seoul Economic Daily linked slower US demand to the end of federal EV subsidies.
What it means for car buyers
For shoppers, the milestone mostly signals more choice. Carmakers are adding hybrid and electric versions of popular models, and cheaper batteries are narrowing the price gap.
The trend is also not a straight line. Gasoline cars still sold more than 20 million units in six months, far more than any other single powertrain. How fast the share keeps falling will depend on oil prices, government incentives and how quickly affordable electric models reach each market.
Readers following the EV shift can also see our coverage of BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery and Flash Charger and our 2026 Tesla Model 3 review.
Sources
- autoevolution (citing Nikkei analysis of MobilityGlobal data)
- Seoul Economic Daily
