The EV Transition Check 2026: Measuring Progress Toward Zero Emissions for Road Transport in Europe (ICCT)

Summary

• The number of passenger car BEV models in Germany quadrupled between 2020 and 2025 to about 160, and affordable BEVs priced below €30,000 grew to about 35.p.3
• BEV prices decreased by about 18% over the past 5 years, while global battery prices fell by about 35%.p.3
• BEVs on the road save the EU around €4.5 billion a year in fossil fuel imports and are on average about 33% cheaper to drive than gasoline ICEVs.p.3
• Battery electric cars reached a 22% share of new registrations in H1 2026, with France at 28%, Germany at 26%, Belgium at 36% and Denmark at 80%.p.5
• Auto manufacturers were less than 2 g CO2/km short of the average target of 93 g CO2/km for the 2025–2027 period.p.5
• The number of public chargers in the EU grew almost eightfold since 2020, reaching 1.16 million by June 2026.p.18
• Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions for a BEV car are 73% lower than for a gasoline car, and 86% lower for a battery electric long-haul truck than for a diesel truck.p.14

Key insights

1. Buses and coaches reached 28% battery electric in H1 2026, medium trucks and vans 21% and heavy trucks 2.3%.p.7
2. BEVs were 33% cheaper than gasoline ICEVs to run in 2025, even prior to the 2026 oil crisis.p.11
3. Real-world CO2 emissions of PHEVs in the EU are 4.6 times higher than type-approval emissions.p.15
4. In June 2026, ad hoc charging rates in the EU averaged €0.50/kWh for AC and €0.62/kWh for DC, including VAT.p.20
5. The EU imported €336.7 billion worth of petroleum oils and natural gas in 2025, amounting to 97% of its oil and petroleum products consumption.p.23
6. There were an estimated 62,300 battery supply chain jobs in Europe as of 2025.p.26
7. In Germany, BEVs accounted for 5.6% of used car ownership transfers in H1 2026, up from 3.2% in H1 2025.p.5