Renault 5 E-TechMore affordable EVs are attracting buyers as electric car sales surge in the EU, but price isn't the only driver of the shift.EU electric car sales rose 45% through August, with more affordable models helping drive growth.Five of Europe's top 20 plug-in models offer electric versions below €30,000 in at least one market.Higher fuel prices are also pushing Europeans to switch to electric, although pricier EVs remain major sellers.It turns out that giving people more electric cars they can afford is a very effective way of selling more of them. Europe's EV sales have hit a new record this year, according to a new study, with smaller, cheaper models helping driving that growth.According a new report from Transport & Environment, an advocacy group, electric car sales in the European Union reached 1.64 million units from January through August, up 45% year over year. They accounted for roughly 22% of new cars sold, while the choice of electric models expanded by 50% compared to a year ago.VW ID. PoloTransport & Environment notes that this is happening alongside an influx of new affordable EVs that have hit the market due to tightening CO2 targets in Europe. Five of Europe's top 20 best-selling EVs start below €30,000 ($33,600), based on their German price before incentives.The organization forecasts that sales of electric models with starting prices below €25,000 will be seven times their 2024 level this year. It expects 16 models below that threshold to be available by the end of 2026. That's twice as many as last year.Renault seems to have figured it out: After launching the 5 E-Tech, the EU's third-best-selling EV in 2025 and best-selling electric subcompact, it has now launched the even cheaper Twingo, which is already proving to be a hit. The French automaker saw EV sales rise 63.2% in the first half of 2026, following a 72.2% jump in 2025.New arrivals are also starting to show up in the charts. In August, the Kia EV2 recorded 4,429 registrations, the Cupra Raval added 3,608, and the grown-up new Volkswagen ID. Polo contributed 1,876 in its debut month.VW ID. Polo and Renault 5 E-Tech in EurochargeImproving affordability isn't the only way to get more people to choose EVs. Higher fuel prices have also created an undeniable economic incentive, making buyers more willing to switch. Still, this EU EV boom includes larger, pricier vehicles. According to JATO's August figures, the Tesla Model Y, Skoda Elroq, BMW iX1, BMW iX3, and Volkswagen ID.4 each notched over 6,000 registrations.European manufacturers are supplying much of that expanding choice. T&E notes that they account for nearly 60% of available electric models, with 16 new additions in the first half of 2026. Chinese automakers hold 21% of the market and added 11 over the same period.More On ThisEV Sales Keep Surging In Europe, Now Make Up 29% Of New Car SalesEurope's EV Sales Explode, Now Making Up A Quarter Of New CarsHigh Gas Prices Are Boosting EV Sales Around The World. Will The U.S. Be Left Out?Europe's EV Sales Surge Is Leaving The U.S. In The DustSo while a handful of cheap hatchbacks haven't single-handedly electrified Europe, they are helping. With an even broader selection of affordable models coming by the end of the year, we may start to see even more cheap EVs among Europe's best sellers in 2027.
+13 others
