The war in Iran, the constant increases in liquid fuel prices, and high inflation are now directly affecting the new car market in Europe, creating a new landscape for both consumers and automakers.
The current instability in the Middle East and international energy markets strengthens the case for accelerating the transition to electric mobility and the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels in transportation.
Demand for used electric vehicles is rising
The oil crisis is already beginning to affect specific segments of the vehicle market. Several European countries are seeing increased demand for used electric cars due to rising fuel prices.
However, it is still too early to draw a definitive conclusion that the crisis has also led to a significant increase in new registrations of battery-powered electric vehicles.
European automakers are fully committed to decarbonization. ACEA member companies already offer more than 250 electric car models and 50 van models, as well as 50 zero-emission truck models and 25 bus models.
Slight increase in Greece, but a decline in April
The electric vehicle market in Europe continues its upward trend as new models gain ground. In the Greek market, the first quarter of 2026 saw a 2.5% increase in new passenger car sales compared to the same period last year. A total of 49,055 new passenger cars were sold, compared to 47,845 units during the same period in 2025.
However, in April 2026, sales fell by 2.8%, a trend attributed primarily to economic hardship. In fact, if sales of cars intended for the car rental sector had not been included, the decline would have been even greater.
Aggressive strategy by Chinese brands
The aggressive commercial strategy of Chinese companies, which offer a wide range of models at highly competitive prices, now plays a decisive role in shaping the market.
However, it is noted that many Chinese brands have not yet established an adequate and reliable technical support network in Greece, while the resale value of their vehicles remains unclear—a factor considered critical for consumers’ evaluation of a brand.
In April 2026, 14,243 cars were sold, compared to 14,649 units sold last year. In the top ten of the sales list, only 10 brands posted positive sales figures, yet another indication of the degree of difficulty facing the Greek passenger car market in 2026.
The big winners of 2026
The big winners of the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year include: Opel 10%, Citroën/DS 26.3%, Suzuki 5.4%, Dacia 130.3%, Renault 82.1%, Nissan 4%, Audi 29.4%, Chery 100%, BYD 40.5%, MINI 25.2%, Omoda 625.9%, Honda 0.8%, Gelly 100%, Jaecoo 600%, Leapmotor 21.1%, Ghangan 100%, Aion 100%, Xpeng 1266.7%, Zeekr 100%, NIO 100%, etc.
Which brands lost ground
In contrast, several traditional brands in the market recorded significant losses: Toyota -0.9%, Peugeot -9.8%, Hyundai -22.6%, BMW -3.5% (note: it is worth noting that after many months of strong upward trends, it saw a drop in sales), Kia -11.7%, MG -14.3%, Volkswagen -41.4%, Fiat -14.7%, Skoda -21.6%, Ford -17%, Jeep -8.6%, Mercedes -36.1%, Seat -9.2%, Volvo -19.5%, Cupra -25.8%, Tesla -18.5%, Alfa Romeo -1.9%, Mazda -47.8%, Lexus -17.1%, Land Rover -5.4%, Porsche -33.1%, KGM -10.8%, Lynk&Co -80.6%, DFSK -62.3%, smart -13.8%, Mitsubishi -91.5%.
* In the table included in the accompanying material, you can see the performance of all brands operating in the Greek passenger car market.