VIENNA, Austria / EuroWire.IO / – Registrations of new battery-electric cars in Austria rose by 63.3% year on year in October to 8,434, according to official data. Electric cars accounted for 34.9% of the 24,174 new passenger cars registered during the month. The figures were published by Statistik Austria and highlighted by the Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure. The overall car market shrank by 1.2%, or 305 vehicles, compared with October 2025.
A further 3,420 plug-in hybrids were registered in October. Together with fully electric models, they took about 49% of Austria’s new car market. Petrol hybrids remained the largest single group with 8,995 registrations and a 37.2% share. Registrations of conventional petrol cars fell 37.7% to 4,044, while diesel cars dropped 29.8% to 1,896. Diesel hybrids fell 41.6% to 805. Plug-in hybrids accounted for about 14% of the market.
Austrian Transport and Innovation Minister Peter Hanke said the figures showed a clear shift in consumer preferences. “Austria is making rapid strides towards becoming a leading country in electric vehicle adoption,” he said. Battery-electric cars outsold petrol and diesel models combined for the second month in a row, according to industry news site Leadersnet. Together, petrol and diesel cars totalled 5,940 registrations in October, about 2,500 fewer than electric models.
Year-to-date electric sales up 39.5%
From January to October 2026, 265,282 new cars were registered in Austria, an increase of 10.7% on the same period last year. Battery-electric cars accounted for 71,606 of them, about 27% of the total, and their registrations rose by 39.5% year on year. Two-thirds of new cars registered this year had an alternative drive, Statistik Austria said. That includes hybrids as well as fully electric models. Austria’s total car market has grown this year despite October’s dip.
BMW was the best-selling electric brand in October with 913 registrations, followed by China’s BYD with 811 and Volkswagen with 691. Cupra and Leapmotor completed the top five. The BYD Atto 3 was the most registered electric model, ahead of the BMW X3 and the Opel Frontera. Across all drivetrains, the Skoda Octavia was the top-selling car. Volkswagen led the overall market by brand with 2,854 registrations.
Part of Europe’s shift to electric
Austria’s figures reflect a broader trend across Europe, where demand for electric vehicles grew in the first quarter of the year. Higher fuel costs have also made electric models more attractive, with motorists in the EU facing an estimated €53 billion rise in fuel costs in 2026. More than 300,000 electric cars were on Austria’s roads by August, according to the motoring club ÖAMTC. That milestone was passed for the first time this year.
Despite the strong growth, petrol hybrids remain the most popular choice among Austrian buyers, with 97,560 registrations from January to October, up 22.4%. Sales of conventional petrol cars fell 8% over the same period, while diesel registrations dropped 15.4%. Hanke said Austria should continue firmly on the path towards becoming an electric car country. Petrol hybrids still outsold electric cars in October. The figures cover new passenger cars only.