Serbia’s new-car market grows 17.7% as hybrids overtake petrol models

Serbia’s new-vehicle market delivered strong growth during the first six months of 2026, supported by rising passenger-car registrations and a rapid shift towards electrified powertrains.

Between January and June, 22,155 new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles were registered for the first time in Serbia. That was 3,327 more vehicles than during the same period in 2025, representing year-on-year growth of 17.67%.

Passenger-car registrations increased by 18.47% to 19,515 units. The light commercial vehicle segment also expanded, rising by 8.91% to 2,640 registrations.

Hybrids become Serbia’s leading powertrain

The most significant development was not simply the increase in total registrations, but the change in the types of vehicles Serbian customers are buying.

A total of 7,245 petrol-electric cars and 1,266 diesel-electric cars were registered during the first half of the year. Combined, hybrid models accounted for 43.62% of Serbia’s new passenger-car market.

Conventional petrol cars moved into second place, with 8,168 registrations and a market share of 41.85%. Hybrids therefore became the most widely registered powertrain category in Serbia for the first time.

The results suggest that Serbian buyers increasingly see hybrids as a practical step between conventional internal-combustion cars and fully electric vehicles. They can reduce fuel consumption in urban driving without requiring drivers to depend entirely on charging infrastructure.

Electric-car registrations rise by more than 230%

Fully electric cars still represent a relatively small section of Serbia’s market, but the segment is expanding quickly.

Serbia recorded 535 new battery-electric passenger cars during the first six months of 2026. Their market share reached 2.74%, while registrations increased by 232.3% compared with the same period in 2025, when only 161 electric cars were registered.

Including hybrids and fully electric cars, electrified vehicles now represent 46.36% of all new passenger-car registrations in Serbia.

Serbia nevertheless remains well behind the European Union in the adoption of fully electric vehicles. Battery-electric cars reached a 20.7% share of the EU market in the first half of 2026, while hybrid-electric cars accounted for 37.3%.

Diesel continues to decline

Diesel was the only major passenger-car powertrain to record lower registrations in Serbia.

A total of 1,992 new diesel passenger cars were registered, giving the category a market share of 10.21%. Registrations fell by 5.37% compared with the first half of 2025.

The direction is consistent with the wider European market, where diesel’s share of new-car registrations declined to 7.5%. A shrinking selection of diesel passenger cars and the expansion of hybrid alternatives are gradually reshaping demand.

Škoda leads as Chinese brands gain visibility

Škoda remained the leading passenger-car brand in Serbia, recording 3,967 new registrations. Toyota followed with 2,436 units.

Volkswagen ranked third with 1,078 registrations, ahead of Hyundai with 1,052 and Renault with 978.

Chinese manufacturers also secured prominent positions. BYD recorded 772 registrations and Chery registered 724 passenger cars, placing both brands among Serbia’s ten largest new-car brands during the period.

What the figures mean for Serbia

Serbia’s passenger-car market expanded considerably faster than the overall EU market during the first half of the year. New passenger-car registrations increased by 18.47% in Serbia, compared with 5.7% across the European Union.

Hybrids currently provide most of Serbia’s shift towards electrification. Fully electric cars are growing rapidly, but their overall market share remains below 3%.

At the same time, stronger competition from Chinese manufacturers is giving Serbian customers a wider selection of electrified and competitively priced vehicles. Should the current pace continue, 2026 could become one of Serbia’s strongest recent years for new-vehicle registrations.