Global electric vehicle demand rose for a third straight month in May.

Registrations of new battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles rose 3% year on year to about 1.8 million, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a London-based battery supply chain consultancy.

Subsidies and high petrol prices supported demand.

Europe led the increase, with registrations up 23% to about 415,000 vehicles, BMI reported.

China, the largest EV market, saw registrations fall 9% to roughly 987,000 after policy support was reduced.

China’s new energy vehicle purchase tax exemption did not expire in early 2026; it was scaled back from January 1, 2026, while earlier cash purchase subsidies had already ended in 2023.

North America posted a 26% drop to around 123,000 vehicles after the US clean-vehicle tax credit ended on September 30, 2025, and amid proposed regulatory rollbacks.

🔗 Source: Reuters

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