France registered 61,958 new electric cars in October 2026, according to figures published by AAA Data on November 1. Battery-electric vehicles represented 41% of all new-car registrations, close to the 44% share recorded by hybrids across all categories. When plug-in hybrids are separated from other hybrid vehicles, electric cars remained in first place.
Electric vehicles accounted for 45% of new-car purchases by private buyers and 46% of fleet registrations. The source attributes part of this momentum to social leasing and incentives funded through energy-saving certificates, as well as rising petrol prices.
The monthly ranking changed significantly from September, when the Tesla Model Y led with 8,183 registrations. In October, the Renault Twingo took first place with 4,747 units, narrowly ahead of the Renault 5, which recorded 4,666. The Peugeot 208 finished third with 3,221 registrations, followed by the Renault Scénic with 3,037 and the Citroën ë-C3 with 2,736.
French brands occupied all of the top seven positions. The Peugeot 3008 ranked sixth with 1,875 registrations, while the Renault 4 took seventh place with 1,786. Four of the seven models—the Renault 5, Renault Scénic, Peugeot 3008 and Renault 4—are produced in France.
The Peugeot 3008’s October total was seven times higher than in the same month of 2025. Unlike the Twingo, it does not benefit from social leasing and is primarily aimed at company fleets. The model is also still missing its 97 kWh long-range battery, supplied by ACC. The Peugeot 5008 and Citroën C5 Aircross also entered the top 20, in 15th and 16th place respectively, while the Citroën ë-C3 Aircross ranked 18th.
The Renault 4 overtook the Tesla Model Y, which finished eighth with 1,748 registrations. Renault’s compact electric model increased by 69.8% year on year. Its “Plein Sud” canvas-roof version also attracted strong interest: Renault brand chief Fabrice Cambolive said that the option represented half of Iconic-trim orders in Europe during the previous month.
Tesla’s lower position may partly reflect its usual delivery pattern, with the company often concentrating registrations toward the end of each period. The Tesla Model 3 fell to 27th place with 662 registrations.
The Volkswagen Group had a weaker month. Volkswagen placed no model in the top 20: the ID.4 ranked 24th with 757 registrations, the new ID. Polo was 25th with 751, and the ID.3 fell to 38th with 468. The source links the latter’s decline to the model’s renewal with the ID.3 Neo.
Skoda’s Elroq ranked 13th with 1,067 registrations, behind the Kia EV2. Kia’s small electric SUV entered the ranking in ninth place with 1,506 units, giving the brand its first top-10 model since the e-Niro in 2023. Kia also placed the EV4 14th, with 1,021 registrations.
The complete top 20 was: Renault Twingo (4,747), Renault 5 (4,666), Peugeot 208 (3,221), Renault Scénic (3,037), Citroën ë-C3 (2,736), Peugeot 3008 (1,875), Renault 4 (1,786), Tesla Model Y (1,748), Kia EV2 (1,506), Peugeot 2008 (1,479), BMW iX1 (1,412), Hyundai Kona (1,172), Skoda Elroq (1,067), Kia EV4 (1,021), Peugeot 5008 (972), Citroën C5 Aircross (887), Ford Explorer (859), Citroën ë-C3 Aircross (835), Leapmotor T03 (832) and Mercedes-Benz CLA (808).
Sources: Numerama.