In Sweden's car showrooms, electric vehicles are quickly becoming the new normal. In the second quarter of 2026, plugin EVs made up 67 percent of all new car sales in the country — up from 62.5 percent just a year earlier.
Full-electric cars, called BEVs by industry experts, accounted for 42 percent of sales and grew a striking 42 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Plugin hybrids, which can run on electricity or gas, took another 25 percent. Together, these electric options now far outsell traditional gas and diesel cars, which held just 25.7 percent of the market.
"The Volvo EX40 won the top spot, a consecutive run of 4 quarters," the report noted. The Swedish-made EX40 SUV sold 3,334 units in the quarter, beating out the Tesla Model Y in second place with 2,450 sales, and the Volvo EX30 in third with 1,905 sales.
New government incentives launched in 2026 seem to be helping. The program targets households in rural areas that earn below-average incomes, and early numbers suggest it is working. Several car brands reported strong year-over-year growth, including Kia, BMW, Toyota, and Volvo, thanks to new or updated models.
"Based on current trends, we may see Sweden achieve a BEV share of close to 50 percent in the final months of this year," the analysis predicted. If that happens, half of all new cars sold in Sweden would run entirely on electricity.
Looking ahead, experts say the shift away from gas-powered cars is likely to continue. "BEVs are finally back to a growth trajectory in Sweden," the report said. "HEV and ICE options seeing steady declines." Combined, Sweden sold nearly 80,000 cars in the quarter — 22 percent more than the same period last year.