Petrol-only vehicles made up less than half of global new vehicle sales for the first time in the first half of 2026, according to an analysis by Mobility Global.
The firm said 20.25 million petrol-only vehicles were sold in the six months, down 10 percent from a year earlier and equal to a 49 percent market share. In 2021 the share was 73 percent.
Hybrids accounted for 18 percent of sales, at 7.27 million vehicles, up 10 percent. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales rose 12 percent to 6.87 million, a 17 percent share.
Experts quoted in the analysis linked the shift to higher oil prices. Yoshiaki Kawano, Associate Director at Mobility Global, said higher oil prices had renewed appreciation for the lower running costs of electric vehicles.
Regional results differed. BEV sales in Southeast Asia rose 81 percent to 850,000, while sales in China fell 3 percent to 3.44 million and sales in North America fell 15 percent. In Europe, BEV sales rose 32 percent.
Fuel prices affect Sri Lankan motorists and importers, who buy vehicles in the same global market.
