Gartner forecasts 116 million electric vehicles on the road by 2026

• Battery electric vehicles (EVs) will grow by 30%
• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) will increase by 32%

Gartner Inc., a leading provider of business and technology insights, predicts that by 2026 there will be 116 million electric vehicles (EVs) including cars, buses, vans, and heavy trucks operating on roads worldwide.

Expert Insight:
Jonathan Davenport, Senior Director Analyst at Gartner, stated:
Despite the U.S. government imposing tariffs on imported vehicles and several governments reducing subsidies and incentives for EV purchases, the number of electric vehicles on the road is expected to rise by 30% in 2026. China will remain the dominant market next year, accounting for 61% of all EVs. Meanwhile, global plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are expected to grow by 32% year over year, as consumers continue to value the reassurance of having a gasoline engine as a backup when needed.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are expected to remain the majority of the global EV fleet. However, the share of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) is increasing as more consumers adopt them.

Global EV Volume by Vehicle Type, 20252026 (Actual Units)

• BEVs: 59,480,370 vehicles in 2025, rising to 76,344,452 in 2026
• PHEVs: 30,074,582 vehicles in 2025, rising to 39,835,111 in 2026
• Total EVs: Approximately 89,554,951 vehicles in 2025, increasing to an expected 116,179,563 in 2026