The Paris Motor Show, one of the automotive industry's long-standing gatherings, is preparing to open its doors for its 2026 edition. The 91st edition of the fair, which was first held in the Tuileries Garden in Paris in 1898, will begin with a press day on October 12 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. The event will be open to the general public from October 13 to 18.
This year, the main agenda of the fair will be electric vehicles, hybrid models, and Chinese car brands that are becoming more visible in the European market. While nearly 100 new models are expected to be exhibited at the organization, it is stated that nearly twenty Chinese brands will also take the stage in Paris.
Paris Motor Show CEO Serge Gachot emphasized the importance of motor shows, especially for electric models, stating that people need to see, touch, sit in, and test vehicles up close.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE MARKET IS GROWING
According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), fully electric cars accounted for 21.7 percent of new vehicle registrations in the European Union in the first eight months of 2026. This rate was at 15.8 percent in the same period last year. France, meanwhile, became one of the fastest-growing major markets in electric vehicle registrations with a 74.2 percent increase.
The transformation in engine options is not limited to fully electric vehicles. According to ACEA data, hybrid electric vehicles remained the most popular engine option in the EU until August, and their market share reached 36.6 percent. While the share of plug-in hybrids rose to 10 percent, the total share of gasoline and diesel vehicles fell from 37.5 percent to 29 percent.
High fuel prices, public incentives, and electric car options offered in a wider price range are effective in this change. However, European manufacturers are trying to carry out the transformation under difficult conditions such as weakening consumer confidence, tightening emission rules, and pressure from the Chinese market.
Mobility Global chief automotive analyst Tim Urquhart stated that the picture is "extremely worrying" for traditional European manufacturers. According to Urquhart, the progress of the Chinese automotive industry in recent years has accelerated even further, especially in the last five years.
The ongoing trade tension between the European Union and China due to state subsidies, customs tariffs, and the increasing flow of Chinese-origin vehicles to Europe will also be one of the topics in the background of the fair. While European brands are looking for a response to this pressure, retro-inspired models are expected to stand out at the stands of manufacturers such as Renault, Citroën, Peugeot, Opel, Lancia, and Fiat.
News Source: 12punto
