New vehicle registrations hit highest level since 2019 as hybrids and EVs gain ground

Canadians registered 547,673 new motor vehicles in the second quarter of 2026, the highest quarterly total since the second quarter of 2019, Statistics Canada reported on September 8. Registrations were up 1.1% from a year earlier and 37.7% from a seasonally weak first quarter.

The bigger shift is under the hood. Gasoline vehicle registrations fell 7.3% from a year earlier, while hybrids, battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids all grew, pushing zero-emission vehicles above one in ten new registrations for a third straight quarter.

The numbers

• Total new registrations: 547,673, up 1.1% year over year.
• By fuel type, year over year: hybrid electric +39.5%, battery electric +37.4%, plug-in hybrid +8.0%, gasoline -7.3%, diesel -12.6%.
• Zero-emission vehicles (battery electric plus plug-in hybrid): 58,811, up 26.7%, for a 10.7% share, versus 8.6% a year earlier.
• By vehicle type: vans +10.1%, passenger cars +2.1%, multipurpose vehicles +0.7%; pickup trucks were the only category to decline, by 0.5%.
• Origin of assembly for zero-emission vehicles: 54.6% Asia, 27.3% North America, 18.1% Europe.

Context: a flat share after a rebound

The zero-emission share was roughly unchanged from the first quarter. Drive Tesla Canada's analysis of the same data puts the first-quarter share at 10.8%, with battery-electric vehicles at 7.4% of the market in the second quarter and plug-in hybrids at 3.3%. Adoption remains uneven: British Columbia led at 18.7% and Quebec followed at 17.8%, while Ontario stayed at 8.2%.

Federal EV incentives ended in 2025, and a new EV Affordability Program launched in February 2026. Gasoline vehicles still make up the bulk of the market: Nova Scotia's finance department, summarizing the release, put gasoline's share of national registrations at 68.6%.

The caveats

Registrations are not the same as sales, and the national totals include estimates for Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta, whose provincial figures are unavailable. Spring is also the busiest season for car buying, which explains much of the jump from the first quarter. Looking ahead, Statistics Canada's trade data show imports of motor vehicles and parts reached a record high in July, so supply on dealer lots does not appear to be the constraint; prices and financing costs are the bigger variables.

What it means for Canadian households

The rapid growth of conventional hybrids suggests many buyers are choosing a middle path: lower fuel bills without the charging questions of a fully electric car. With gasoline prices elevated this year, fuel savings are a bigger part of the math than they were a year ago.

For anyone shopping for a vehicle, the total cost over the years you plan to keep it matters more than the sticker price: financing rate, insurance, fuel or electricity, maintenance and resale value. Comparing a loan with a lease, and getting insurance quotes before signing, can change which option is actually cheaper. This is general information, not personalized advice.

Related

• Car loan vs. lease
• Car insurance in Canada

More in Personal finance

• Household net worth tops $19 trillion on stock gains, but the wealth is top-heavy
• Canadians Grow Slightly More Optimistic on Finances, But Inflation Still Tops Worry List: TransUnion
• Permanent-Employee Wage Growth Jumps to 3.7% in June