For the first time since the automobile became mainstream a century ago, cars that run on nothing but petrol are a minority of the world’s new-car sales. Gasoline-only vehicles made up 49% of global new-vehicle sales in the first half of 2026, according to data from automotive analytics firm Mobility Global first reported by Nikkei — down from 73% in 2021.
It is historic, but with a big asterisk: most of the vehicles taking petrol’s place still have a fuel tank. Here is what the numbers actually say, what drove the shift, and what it means for buyers in Pakistan.
Key Takeaways
- Gasoline-only vehicles made up just 49% of new-car sales worldwide in the first half of 2026, down from 73% in 2021 — the first time on record they have held less than half the market.
- Battery-electric sales grew 12% to 6.87 million units (17% share) and hybrids grew 10% to 7.27 million (18%), while gas-car sales fell 10% to 20.25 million.
- Only pure battery-electrics burn no fuel at all — about 83% of new cars sold still have an engine, so the petrol era is fading, not finished.
The headline numbers
Mobility Global (the firm formerly known as S&P Global Mobility, spun off from S&P Global this year) reports that sales of gasoline-only cars fell 10% year-on-year to 20.25 million units between January and June 2026. Their market share dropped three percentage points in a single year, from 52% to 49% — the first time on record they have slipped under half.
| Powertrain | H1 2026 sales | Change vs H1 2025 | Global share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline-only | 20.25 million | −10% | 49% |
| Conventional hybrids | 7.27 million | +10% | 18% |
| Battery-electric | 6.87 million | +12% | 17% |
| Diesel, plug-in hybrid and others | — | — | ~16% |
A few things stand out. First, hybrids outsold battery-electrics outright: 7.27 million to 6.87 million. Second, the whole car market shrank about 5% in the first half, according to the IEA — meaning gas-only sales fell roughly twice as fast as the market itself. Third, only the 17% that are pure battery-electric burn no fuel at all. Count hybrids, plug-in hybrids and diesels, and roughly 83% of new vehicles sold this year still came with an engine.
What pushed petrol over the cliff
Nikkei ties the acceleration to oil. Fuel prices spiked amid instability in the Middle East — including the Strait of Hormuz crisis — and buyers went looking for lower running costs. Europe is the clearest example: battery-electric sales surged 52.2% in August year-on-year, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). In Germany, BEV sales jumped 75% in August as petrol prices hit an all-time high of €2.31 per litre — roughly $10 per gallon — while EV sales in France more than doubled.
Regional picture from Mobility Global’s data:
- China: gas-car sales plunged 26%, the steepest drop of any major market. Pure battery-electrics still make up roughly half of the world’s total EV sales.
- Europe: gas-car sales fell 13%, while BEV sales rose 32% to 1.81 million units. In 31 European countries, EV demand surpassed petrol cars for the first time on a half-year basis.
- Southeast Asia: BEV sales jumped 81% to 350,000 units; Oceania more than doubled to 110,000.
- United States: the outlier. BEV sales fell after the federal tax credit ended — but buyers did not go back to gas. US hybrid sales rose 23% to a record 16.3% of the market in Q2 2026, and the ICE share still edged down.
Yoshiaki Kawano, an associate director at Mobility Global, told Nikkei that few EV buyers return to gasoline cars, and he expects demand driven by “genuine consumer needs rather than subsidies” to keep growing as prices fall. That matches independent surveys: a CDK study cited by Electrek found 94% of EV owners said they will not go back to petrol.
What this means for Pakistan
Pakistan is behind the global curve — pure petrol cars still dominate local showrooms — but the direction of travel is unmistakable, and the same fuel-price logic applies here, arguably more so since Pakistan imports nearly all its fuel.
Hybrids are already proving the case. According to Lucky Motor Corporation CEO Mohammad Faisal, more than 30,000 hybrid vehicles added to Pakistani roads over the past two years saved 30 million litres of fuel and cut the oil import bill by nearly $27 million. He said hybrids now dominate over half of Pakistan’s SUV segment and estimated they cut carbon emissions by up to 40% versus conventional petrol cars.
The 2026 model pipeline is overwhelmingly electrified. Brokerage Arif Habib Limited’s tracking shows 23 new vehicle models scheduled for Pakistani showrooms between June and December 2026 — of which 87% run on electric, plug-in hybrid, or range-extended electric powertrains, leaving only three petrol-only options in the entire second-half pipeline. Local launches already underway span MG, GWM, Omoda, Jaecoo, Deepal, and Jetour, with more EVs from Changan and others arriving in the months ahead.
The market is growing overall. Pakistan’s vehicle sales surged 44.2% year-on-year through May 2026 to 93,680 units, with Suzuki (48.2%), Toyota (22%), and Honda (13.9%) leading. Rising volumes plus a wave of electrified models arriving at once means the shift could hit local showrooms fast once the pipeline lands.
The caveats, honestly stated
This milestone is real, but it is easy to over-read. Four things worth keeping in mind:
- It is a half-year figure, taken during an oil shock. The full-year 2026 share may end up under or above 50%. The trend, though, has moved in one direction for five straight years.
- “Not petrol-only” is not the same as “electric.” Most of the market replacing pure petrol cars still burns fuel — hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and diesels. Only 17% of sales are truly zero-emission.
- China dominates the EV numbers. Roughly half of the world’s battery-electric sales are in China. Outside China, the transition is slower — though Europe’s 2026 acceleration is narrowing the gap.
- The US is a genuine exception. Ending the federal EV tax credit cut American EV sales sharply, even as hybrid buyers picked up the slack. Policy still matters enormously.
The bottom line
In five years, the gasoline-only car went from nearly three-quarters of global sales to less than half — a 24-point collapse. The milestone may have been accelerated by an oil-price shock, but the underlying force is economic: cheaper running costs, falling battery prices, and buyers who, once they go electric, rarely go back.
For Pakistani buyers, the practical takeaway is simple. Petrol-only is no longer the default global choice, and the local showroom pipeline is about to reflect that. Whether you buy new or used, your next car’s resale value will increasingly depend on what’s under the hood — and for the first time in history, the answer is more likely to include a battery than not.
