Global electric vehicle deliveries — covering both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models — reached 3.591m units in the first five months of 2026 in markets outside China, a 26.3% increase on the same period a year earlier, according to data from SNE Research.
Europe remained the largest market by volume, with 1.988m vehicles delivered, up 27.5% year on year. Asia excluding China posted the fastest growth, surging 75.0% to 747,000 units. North America was a conspicuous exception to the broader trend, falling 27.6% to 517,000 units — a drag on overall non-China market expansion.
Among manufacturers, Volkswagen retained the top position with 517,000 deliveries, a rise of 7.6%, though its market share slipped from 16.9% to 14.4%. Tesla held second place with 415,000 units, up 20.3%. BYD, the Chinese electric vehicle giant, was the standout performer, recording 384,000 deliveries — an 80.3% jump — which lifted its market share from 7.5% to 10.7%.
Hyundai Motor Group delivered 302,000 vehicles, up 25.1%. Fellow Chinese manufacturer Chery was perhaps the most striking story of the period, with deliveries soaring 380.4% to 160,000 units. Performance diverged sharply among established Western carmakers: BMW eked out marginal growth of 0.4%, while Stellantis fell 7.4% and Mercedes-Benz declined 4.3%.
The broader pattern is one of accelerating competition. Chinese automakers — BYD, Chery, Geely and others — are steadily expanding their footprint in overseas markets, putting traditional global manufacturers under increasing pressure beyond their home turf.