According to data from the sector federations Febiac and Traxio, the Belux car market continues to shift toward electrification. The professional market has driven this shift so far, but the same trend is now emerging in the individual buyer market.
In the first 9 months of 2026, BEVs accounted for 39.1% of all newly registered cars, up from 34.7% last year and 28.5% in 2024. PHEVs, by contrast, moved in the opposite direction, now representing 5.9% of the total market, down from 9.3% in 2025 and 14.9% in 2024.’Self-charging’ hybrids represented 11.4% of total sales. Petrol cars’ share remained stable at 39.9%, while diesel dropped to 2.7%.
Still a clear difference between professional and individual buyers
In the first three quarters of 2026, petrol cars remain by far the most popular choice for individual buyers (59.4%), while the opposite is true in the professional market, where 60.9% are now BEVs. The gap between the two markets is also narrowing again: of the 320,374 new cars sold in the first 9 months, individual buyers registered 44.1% and professional buyers 55.9%.
Looking at the models’ top ten, we see only BEVs in the professional sector, while individuals still have 8 petrol cars in the ranking and two electrified ones: the Toyota Yaris (3rd place) and, for the first time, a Chinese make in the ranking: the BYD Seal U (a PHEV) in 9th place.
The most popular new car in the Belux is the BMW iX3, followed by the Tesla Y, the BMW iX1, the Citroën C3 and the Dacia Sandero. In Flanders, the BMW X1 is the most popular model; in Wallonia, the Dacia Sandero; and in Brussels, the Citroën C3.
Second-hand market
Although the second-hand market declined slightly (-3.3%) in the first 9 months of 2026, it still represents almost two-thirds of the total car market in the Belux (62.7%).
Individual buyers register 91.2% of these second-hand cars. One category doesn’t follow this trend: BEVs. The professional sector still registers 51.5% of all second-hand electric cars. Overall, petrol cars still dominate the second-hand market (55.9%), while diesel is shrinking (22.1%) and electrifed cars are rising: 21.4% in total, 15.4% hybrids, and 6% pure electric.
While absolute numbers are still modest, the BEVs on the second-hand market are growing rapidly, by 41.8% in 2026. Companies buy 48.5%, and individual buyers buy 45.4%. The remaining 6% is leased or rented.
