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Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) incentives in France seem to be helping the country’s overall new-car market. However, while these registrations bounce back, petrol volumes continue to plummet. Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the figures.
Following its first positive result of the year in August, the French new-car market managed another improvement in September.
According to Autovista24 calculations of data published by PFA, the market saw year-on-year growth of 0.8% last month. This equates to 140,100 models taking to the country’s roads, up by 1,098 units.
September 2025 featured one more working day compared to the same month last year. This helped the new-car market continue its growth streak. According to PFA, adjusted for working days, registrations would have dipped by 3.6%.
The result means that the year-to-date deficit the French new-car market has built up across 2025 has lessened. Between January and September, 1,186,521 units have been delivered to customers, a drop of 6.3%, based on Autovista24 calculations.
With a new BEV incentive programme in place, and additional financial boosts starting at the end of September and early October, the country could see this growth streak continue. However, electrified vehicle results must stay strong to offset the ongoing sharp decline in internal-combustion engine (ICE) registrations.
The market share of petrol registrations in September hit a new low, continuing a trend that is shared across Europe. Once the dominant force, petrol has struggled to gain traction this year, with heavy losses each month of 2025.
‘The new electric bonus formula (CEE bonus) for individuals is already showing positive results, with an additional bonus of €1,000 being awarded from 1 October for models assembled in the EU and equipped with a battery manufactured in the European Economic Area,’ commented Marie-Laure Nivot, head of automotive market analysis at AAA Data.
‘The start of electric leasing on 30 September should also give a temporary boost to electric registrations. However, it is now fleets that are driving electric registrations, with major effects expected within three years on the used-car market,’ she added.
BEVs continued their strong run in September. Registrations were up 11.2% in the month. In total, 31,439 units were delivered, according to Autovista24 calculations.
The result led to a record market share for the technology. BEVs held 22.4% of the total market volume in the month, up by 2.1 percentage points (pp) compared to September 2024.
This was the third consecutive month of double-digit improvement. Furthermore, it was only the fourth time in 2025 that all-electric powertrains registered a year-on-year upswing. This means that the year-to-date figures continued to claw back the deficit built up earlier in the year.
Between January and September, 216,311 BEVs were registered, a 0.2% decline, equating to just 530 fewer models. Despite this slight drop, the powertrain’s market share improved thanks to the misfortune of others. The technology held 18.2% of the total year-to-date volume at the end of the month, up 1.1pp.
The BEV market could look forward to further growth in the coming months. From 30 September, applications opened for the country’s social leasing plan. This is a long-term rental offer for electric cars with a cap of €200 per month. After three years, drivers must return the vehicle or pay the remaining cost based on its residual value.
The leasing plan is open to a minimum of 50,000 households in France. To be eligible, they must have a reference tax income per share of €16,300 or less. Applicants must also live more than 15km from their place of work. They must also use a personal car to commute, or conduct business travel of more than 8,000km annually.
In addition, the French government also announced a new addition to the country’s incentive plan. An extra €1,000 will be provided on top of the existing energy savings certificates (CEE) subsidies for a BEV. However, it must have been assembled in Europe. These models must also come equipped with a European-built battery.
‘The ecological transition is a lever for reindustrialisation. With this €1,000 increase in the ecological bonus, we are promoting electric vehicles whose batteries are produced in Europe and whose manufacturing emits fewer greenhouse gases,’ stated Agnès Pannier-Runacher, minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, the Sea and Fisheries.
‘It is a win-win measure for purchasing power, the climate and industry. It makes electric cars more accessible to French people, while supporting industry and employment,’ she added.
While BEVs have enjoyed a boost, plug-in-hybrids (PHEVs) continued their slump in September. A total of 9,118 units were delivered, a drop of 9.5% year on year, based on Autovista24 analysis. This gave the technology a market share of 6.5%, down 0.8pp.
Following a run of double-digit declines across the first six months of the year, the third quarter saw some improvement. However, September’s result was the third-lowest drop in registration volume. This left PHEVs with a 26.8% fall in the year to date, as 72,537 models made their way to customers. The volume share of 6.1% underlines a 1.7pp drop against the first nine months of 2024.
Combining BEVs and PHEVs, the electric vehicle (EV) market improved by 5.8% in September, with 2,212 more models registered. The 40,557 registrations gave the technology a 28.9% market share, up 1.3pp. The result is the third time this year EVs have seen growth, and it is thanks to the BEV market.
In the first three quarters of 2025, EV deliveries were down 8.6%, with 27,099 fewer units on the road. However, their market share has only dropped 0.7pp in this period as 288,848 models reached customers.
The hybrid market, made up of both full and mild hybrid powertrains, led the way once again in France.
In total, 62,039 hybrids were registered in September, a 16.7% increase year on year, according to Autovista24 calculations. This gave the powertrain a commanding 44.3% market share in the month, up 6.1pp.
Spanning the first three quarters of 2025, hybrids prevailed as the dominant powertrain. In total, 531,166 units were delivered to customers, a rise of 28.7% compared to the same period in 2024. This was a 44.8% hold of total registration volume between January and September, up 12.2pp.
Combining EVs and hybrids, electrified powertrains saw growth of 12.1% in September, reaching 102,596 registrations. This meant 11,084 more electrified units taking to French roads. Their market share in this period was 73.2%, up 7.4pp, aided by hybrid and BEV totals.
In the year to date, electrified cars saw deliveries increase 12.5%, equating to 91,366 more units to 820,014 registrations. Their dominant share of 69.1% in the nine-month period was up by 11.5pp.
Petrol registrations dropped to a record low in September. A total of 26,934 units were registered, according to Autovista24 calculations. This equated to a drop of 25.3% year on year. This was the smallest loss of volume so far in 2025. However, the powertrain’s market share of 19.2% is a new low, dipping below 20% for the first time.
The fuel type has been rapidly losing its share across 2025, after hitting 26.1% in January. Its performance in September marks the first time this year it has dropped to the third-best powertrain, after hybrids and BEVs.
This means that in the first nine months of 2025, petrol registrations declined by 32.8%, with 265,023 units delivered. This equates to 129,243 fewer units year on year. The 22.3% market share in this period was down 8.8pp.
Meanwhile, diesel deliveries in September declined 21.7%, with 6,311 units taking to French roads. This was a 4.5% hold of the overall registration volume, a drop of 1.3pp.
Between January and September, diesel saw a slide of 38.5%, with 58,906 models received by customers. They held a 5% share at the end of this period, a drop of 2.6pp.
Combining petrol and diesel figures, the ICE market dropped behind the EV sector for the second consecutive month. Registrations were down 24.6%, while market share dropped 8pp, to 23.7%.
With BEV deliveries expected to increase thanks to subsidies, this is a trend that could continue for the rest of the year. This would signal a significant shift in the French new-car market.
Between January and September, ICE registrations fell by 33.9%, with 166,314 fewer units delivered. This also meant an 11.4pp drop in market share, with 27.3% of the market, still ahead of EVs for now.
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