Global EV sales stall in January: registrations declined 3% year over year to nearly 1.2 million units, reflecting weaker demand in key markets. Data from consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence showed that policy shifts in China and the United States significantly dampened momentum at the start of 2026.
According to Sigma Earth portal, that decline comes as China introduced a purchase tax and cut EV subsidies, while policy changes in the U.S. created fresh uncertainty for automakers and buyers alike. Together, these measures cooled demand in two of the world’s most influential electric-vehicle markets.
China, the world’s largest EV market, saw a steep 20% decline in registrations to fewer than 600,000 units, the lowest level in nearly two years. The reason may highlight the sensitivity of EV demand to subsidy adjustments and tax policy changes.
In North America, the decline was even sharper at 33%, with only just over 85,000 vehicles registered, and the U.S. recorded its worst EV sales month in a year. Carmakers with heavy exposure to the American market have booked around $55 billion in writedowns over the past year as they scale back EV ambitions amid a challenging policy environment and weaker-than-expected demand.
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