Global EV demand rises for second month, data shows

By Amir Orusov and Mathias de ‌Rozario

May 13 (Reuters) - Global ​demand ​for electric vehicles rose for a second straight month in April as high petrol prices kept steering buyers away from combustion-engine cars, data ‌from consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence showed on Wednesday.

Registrations of new battery-electric ⁠vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles rose 6% from a year earlier to 1.6 million in ‌April, a proxy for sales, ‌although they fell 9% from March's record monthly high, BMI said.

"Demand continues to be supported by policy incentives, rising petrol prices, and growing Chinese OEM presence," ​BMI said in a statement.

Governments kept measures in place to limit fuel prices after war in the Middle East disrupted a major shipping route for ⁠oil.

In Europe, registrations climbed 27% to about 400,000 units in April, while countries in the European Economic Area ​and Switzerland have committed nearly 200 billion euros ($235 billion) to their EV ecosystem, a recent study showed.

The global picture, however, was uneven.

In ​China, April registrations fell 8% from a ‌year earlier to roughly 850,000 vehicles after support for auto trade-ins was withdrawn and a tax break on electric-vehicle purchases expired.

Even ⁠so, Chinese manufacturers expanded abroad, with exports topping 400,000 electric vehicles in April alone and total vehicle exports reaching nearly 1.4 million units in the first four months of 2026, ⁠more than double a year earlier.

In North America, registrations dropped 28% to 120,000 units in April ​after the end of a U.S. tax credit scheme and proposals by President Donald Trump's administration to further ease carbon dioxide emissions rules. Mexico stood out, with sales up nearly 50% ‌this year, while Canada's 7% decline is expected to reverse after a new incentive programme.

Chinese brands are also gaining ground ‌in Europe despite European Union tariffs: 22% of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids sold there ⁠in the first four months ‌of 2026 were made in ​China, up from 19% a year earlier, BMI data showed.

($1 = 1.3709 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Amir Orusov and Mathias de Rozario; Editing by ‌Matt Scuffham)

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