New electric vehicle (EV) sales in France jumped 48 percent in the first four months of 2026, reaching 148,302 units, even as the broader automotive market continued to struggle, according to data released Friday by the French automotive industry body Plateforme automobile.

In April alone, total new car sales across all powertrains reached 138,339 units, marking a slight decline of 0.26 percent compared with the same month a year earlier, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Cumulative sales since January stood at 539,895 units, representing a 1.6 percent decrease compared with the same period in 2025.

The French market has been under pressure from returning inflation and near-zero economic growth.

According to automakers, weak consumer demand has weighed on overall vehicle sales.

Data from the INSEE showed that France’s GDP stagnated in the first quarter of 2026, recording zero growth from the previous quarter. At the same time, inflation is expected to rise to 2.2 percent year-on-year in April, up from 1.7 percent in March.

Industry representatives attributed the strong rebound in EV sales to several factors, including a recovery effect after weak demand in early 2025, the expansion of more affordable electric models, and regulatory pressure requiring corporate fleets to accelerate electrification.

In addition, amid rising energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict, the French government is pushing ahead with its electrification strategy. It plans to double annual support for the sector from 5.5 billion euros (6.4 billion U.S. dollars) to 10 billion euros (11.7 billion U.S. dollars) by 2030.

The policy aims to gradually electrify transport and other fossil fuel–dependent sectors, with electric vehicles expected to play a central role in the transition.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev