Insights
Canada Q2 2026 Registrations: Hybrids Outpace BEV Growth
Canada recorded 547,673 new motor vehicle registrations in Q2 2026. The total increased 1.1% from Q2 2025 and 37.7% from Q1 2026, and marked the highest quarterly total since Q2 2019.
Hybrid-electric registrations reached 91,868, up 39.5% year over year. The rate exceeded battery-electric growth of 37.4% and plug-in hybrid growth of 8.0%, which made hybrids the fastest growing fuel type listed in the release.
Zero-emission vehicles totalled 58,811 registrations and accounted for 10.7% of new registrations. Statistics Canada reports zero-emission vehicles separately from hybrid-electric vehicles, a distinction that shapes interpretation of electrified demand.
Canada's Q2 Registration Market In Context
The Q2 2026 total of 547,673 registrations was 1.1% higher than in Q2 2025 and 37.7% higher than in Q1 2026.
Statistics Canada identified Q2 2026 as the highest quarterly total since Q2 2019.
These figures describe changes in registrations, not sales.
Hybrid Registrations Edge BEVs On Year-Over-Year Growth
Hybrid-electric vehicles posted the largest year-over-year increase among the fuel types listed in the release. Registrations rose from 65,832 in Q2 2025 to 91,868 in Q2 2026, an increase of 39.5%. The gain added 26,036 vehicles to the quarterly hybrid total.
Battery-electric registrations also expanded at a rapid pace. Volumes increased from 29,536 in Q2 2025 to 40,585 in Q2 2026, growth of 37.4%. The difference between hybrid growth and battery-electric growth was therefore narrow in percentage terms, but hybrids retained the lead on a year-over-year basis.
Plug-in hybrid-electric registrations grew more slowly. Volumes increased from 16,877 to 18,226, growth of 8.0%. The result placed plug-in hybrids well behind both hybrids and battery electrics on growth rate, despite participation in the broader electrified segment.
How Registration Counts Shifted By Powertrain
Electrified powertrains gained volume while internal combustion powertrains declined. Gasoline registrations fell from 405,417 in Q2 2025 to 375,814 in Q2 2026, a decline of 7.3%. Diesel registrations fell from 24,234 to 21,180, a decline of 12.6%. The combined reduction in gasoline and diesel registrations totalled 32,657 vehicles.
Growth in hybrids, battery electrics and plug-in hybrids more than offset that reduction at the national total level. The three electrified categories added a combined 38,434 registrations compared with Q2 2025. Hybrids accounted for most of the net addition, followed by battery electrics.
The following table summarises registrations by fuel type for the two second quarters.
| Fuel type | Q2 2025 | Q2 2026 | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | 405417 | 375814 | minus 7.3 percent |
| Diesel | 24234 | 21180 | minus 12.6 percent |
| Hybrid electric | 65832 | 91868 | plus 39.5 percent |
| Battery electric | 29536 | 40585 | plus 37.4 percent |
| Plug-in hybrid electric | 16877 | 18226 | plus 8.0 percent |
| All zero-emission vehicles | 46413 | 58811 | plus 26.7 percent |
| All fuel types | 541896 | 547673 | plus 1.1 percent |
The table shows a market in which total growth was modest but compositional change was substantial. Hybrids represented the largest electrified volume in the quarter.
Why Hybrids And Zero-Emission Vehicles Are Different Categories
In Statistics Canada reporting, zero-emission vehicles comprise battery-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles. Hybrid-electric vehicles are reported separately and are not included in the zero-emission vehicle total. The classification is central to accurate market reporting.
Canada registered 58,811 zero-emission vehicles in Q2 2026, up 26.7% year over year. The sum corresponds to 40,585 battery-electric registrations plus 18,226 plug-in hybrid registrations. Zero-emission vehicles accounted for 10.7% of new registrations, compared with 8.6% in Q2 2025.
Hybrid-electric registrations, at 91,868, therefore exceeded the entire zero-emission vehicle total in absolute terms, even though hybrids sit outside the zero-emission definition. Analysts who combine hybrids with zero-emission vehicles would overstate zero-emission market share.
The Recent Quarterly Trend In Electrified Registrations
Quarterly data from Q2 2025 through Q2 2026 show variation across the three electrified fuel types. Hybrid registrations declined through the second half of 2025 before recovering in 2026. Volumes moved from 65,832 in Q2 2025 to 59,952 in Q3 2025, 50,478 in Q4 2025 and 53,584 in Q1 2026, followed by the sharp rise to 91,868 in Q2 2026.
Battery-electric registrations followed a more stable path before the Q2 2026 increase. Volumes were 29,536 in Q2 2025, 28,648 in Q3 2025, 31,482 in Q4 2025 and 29,808 in Q1 2026, then rose to 40,585 in Q2 2026. Plug-in hybrid registrations moved from 16,877 in Q2 2025 to 18,574 in Q3 2025, 15,722 in Q4 2025, 13,305 in Q1 2026 and 18,226 in Q2 2026.
The pattern indicates that Q2 2026 strength was broad based across electrified types, but most pronounced for hybrids. The quarterly sequence also shows that year-over-year comparisons capture a different signal than quarter-over-quarter movements, particularly after the lower electrified totals recorded in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026.
Data Table
| Quarter | Hybrid electric (HEV) | Battery electric (BEV) | Plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2025 | 65832 | 29536 | 16877 |
| Q3 2025 | 59952 | 28648 | 18574 |
| Q4 2025 | 50478 | 31482 | 15722 |
| Q1 2026 | 53584 | 29808 | 13305 |
| Q2 2026 | 91868 | 40585 | 18226 |
Source: Statistics Canada.
National Growth, With Provincial And Data Caveats
National zero-emission vehicle registrations increased 26.7% year over year, but provincial results varied. Among provinces with reported year-over-year growth in total zero-emission vehicles, Ontario recorded the highest reported increase at 46.6%. Nova Scotia followed at 46.0%, Saskatchewan at 39.6%, Manitoba at 39.2%, British Columbia at 31.5%, Prince Edward Island at 16.7% and Quebec at 12.5%. New Brunswick declined by 16.6%.
These provincial rates refer to total zero-emission vehicles, not separate growth rates for battery electrics or plug-in hybrids. The distinction limits the conclusions that can be drawn at the provincial level about technology mix. A province with rapid zero-emission growth may have expanded primarily through battery electrics, plug-in hybrids or a combination, but the reported provincial percentage does not specify the composition.
Coverage also requires caution. Statistics Canada stated that Q2 estimates for Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta were unavailable because of contractual limitations, although registrations from those provinces are included in the Canadian total. Provincial comparisons therefore reflect only the provinces with available estimates, while the national total of 547,673 remains comprehensive.
Data Table
| Province | Q2 2026 versus Q2 2025 |
|---|---|
| Ontario | 46.6 |
| Nova Scotia | 46 |
| Saskatchewan | 39.6 |
| Manitoba | 39.2 |
| British Columbia | 31.5 |
| Prince Edward Island | 16.7 |
| Quebec | 12.5 |
| New Brunswick | -16.6 |
Source: Statistics Canada.