Europe’s EV sales are accelerating – but is the infrastructure ready?
- Laurent Bataille
- 22 Sep 2026
- 3 min
Europe’s EV market is accelerating rapidly, with BEV registrations surging across the EU and electrification establishing itself as a key pillar of energy security and decarbonization. While charging infrastructure appears to be keeping up with EV adoption in most countries, continued investment in charging networks and grid modernization remains critical. To sustain momentum, Europe must pair infrastructure upgrades with targeted policies, particularly for corporate fleets, and increasingly view EVs as grid-supporting energy assets rather than simply vehicles.
"Transitioning to EVs is one of the fastest routes to stronger energy security - reducing reliance on costly fossil fuels, and supporting the wider transformation of Europe’s energy system."
- Laurent Bataille, EVP European Operations
Across Europe, the story is similar. According to the International Energy Agency, the region posted the strongest EV sales growth of any major market in the first half of 2026, with EU BEV registrations up around 40.5% year-on-year to more than 1.2 million units.
It’s good news for Europe’s newly charged electrification ambitions – as in July, the EU announced a new target of 46% electrification as final energy consumption by 2040, doubling the region’s current electrification rate, and electrifying road transportation has been identified as one of the fastest ways of achieving this. But is it all plain sailing from here?
With two global energy crises in recent years, European businesses and individuals are seeing first-hand that reliance on imported fossil fuels leaves them vulnerable to price shocks and supply constraints.
Electricity powered by clean energy sources is becoming cheaper and more desirable, and this is now influencing investment decisions at home and in the boardroom.
For example, Stagecoach, the UK’s largest transport operator, has worked with Schneider Electric in the past few years on a program to electrify its bus fleet, ultimately delivering low-carbon public transport options across the country. This is how we are leading the energy transition within public transport, with energy technology.
The EV market is also producing a wider range of more affordable models. We’re particularly seeing faster electrification at fleet level - and that matters, because corporate fleets represent around 60% of new vehicle registrations in the EU.
A turnover of electric company cars feeds a growing second-hand market, improving affordability and access for households. In that sense, greening corporate fleets becomes a powerful lever for democratizing electric mobility.
As the numbers show that more electric vehicles are populating our roads each month, there's also evidence that charging infrastructure is scaling well in many places. But we cannot be complacent.
T&E announced in July that charging infrastructure has far outpaced EV sales in all EU countries except Malta. It reported that there were five times more public chargers than in 2020, and that 79% of EU main roads met goals for fast chargers to be located every 60 km along them. Even during the summer months, there were no major reports of charging point congestion – even in popular travel routes and tourist hotspots.
While we are seeing strong momentum for EV uptake in countries like France, it doesn't automatically mean an even charging experience everywhere people drive. But it’s clear that continued investment needs to be made to cater for the rising number of EVs on Europe’s roads.
Europe is generally moving in the right direction when it comes to electrifying its road transportation. But we can still go faster.
To continue this progress, we need to see the right kind of policy levers being pulled. The EU's Electrification Action Plan explicitly treats electric vehicles as part of a smarter, more integrated energy system, not simply a transport upgrade. We’re no longer viewing EVs purely as energy consumers, but “batteries with wheels” which can act as storage assets to balance our grids. That's a meaningful shift, and one that will grow in significance.
Other policy levers at country-level like VAT and registration tax exemptions for EVs, alongside reduced road tolls and parking charges, can make EVs even more appealing. In addition, focus should be given to corporate vehicle fleets through obligations and incentives, as targeted incentives for fleets produce faster market transformation than household subsidies alone.
But we also need policy measures to be matched by sustained investment in charging infrastructure and grid modernization to ensure the system can support rising demand.
The broader impact for Europe is clear: transitioning to EVs is one of the fastest routes to stronger energy security - reducing reliance on costly fossil fuels, and supporting the wider transformation of Europe’s energy system.
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