PARIS, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The sales of new electric vehicle (EV) in France surged 48 percent in the first four months of 2026 to 148,302 units, despite an overall struggling auto market, data from the French automotive industry body Plateforme automobile (PFA) showed on Friday.
In April, new car sales across all powertrain totaled 138,339 units, down 0.26 percent year-on-year. Cumulative sales since January reached 539,895 units, marking a decline of 1.6 percent compared with the same period in 2025.
The return of inflation and zero economic growth in the first quarter has weighed on the French auto market, French news channel BFM TV reported, citing automakers.
Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) showed France's gross domestic product (GDP) stalled in the first quarter of 2026, recording zero growth from the previous quarter, while the consumer price index (CPI) is expected to rise by 2.2 percent year-on-year in April, after already rising by 1.7 percent in March.
Automakers attributed the rebound in EV sales to a catch-up effect following weak sales in early 2025, an expanded offering of entry-level electric models, and the impact of legislation requiring corporate fleets to electrify, BFM TV reported.
Amid a surge in energy prices related the conflict in the Middle East, the French government aims to step up its electrification ambitions for 2030, with annual support set to double from 5.5 billion euros (6.4 billion U.S. dollars) to 10 billion euros (11.7 billion U.S. dollars). Meanwhile, sectors still reliant on fossil fuels will be progressively electrified, with transport expected to shift further toward electric vehicles. ■