Battery-electric cars took 29.9 percent of EU registrations in September 2026. National incentives explain much of it, which raises the question of durability.

Seven EU countries now allow an American supervised driving system under a Dutch exemption whose safety file stays confidential. The 6 October committee meeting is not scheduled to vote, and the delay says a great deal about regulatory trust.

The average new vehicle in the United States now sells for just over $50,000. Manufacturers are responding with hybrids and larger SUVs rather than cheaper cars, and the buyers left behind are crowding into an aging, costly used market.