The electrified car market (100% electric, plug-in hybrids and full hybrids) in Romania will reach 110,000 registered units in 2026, up 28% compared to the previous year, when 85,961 units were registered, said Dan Vardie, president of the Automobile Manufacturers and Importers Association (APIA), in a press conference on Thursday, according to Agerpres.

“In the electrified car segment, please note that we have an increase. For Romania, it is the first time in history that electrified cars exceed 100,000 units, and the forecast is 110,000 units for 2026, 28% more than in 2025. The market share of electrified cars, we estimate, will be 72% of the total car registrations, this year, in Romania,” said Vardie.

According to the APIA official, on the domestic market, hybrid cars will represent the dominant solution at this time, according to trends in international markets.

“The APIA forecast for 2026 confirms the impact of economic and political turbulence on the automotive market, which is set to enter a downward trend after several years of growth. We see a moderation in volumes, but also a clear acceleration of electrification, with hybrids as the dominant solution at the moment, according to trends in international markets. The evolution of this sector will depend decisively on the coherence and predictability of this year’s public measures that can support or, on the contrary, slow down the transition to sustainable, accessible mobility with safety benefits for traffic participants”, the specialist emphasized.

In the same context, the main directions of the APIA forecast for the Romanian automotive market, in 2026, highlight the fact that the general market for newly registered vehicles will no longer be growing, as in the last four years, and will report a decrease of 1.7%, with a number of 179,500 units sold.

Also, decreases are expected on all three levels, namely cars (-1.8%), LCV+Minibus (-0.35) and HCV+Bus (-1.1%), compared to the data from 2025.

At the same time, in a more in-depth analysis, depending on the type of fuel of the registered cars, APIA predicts significant decreases in registrations on both types of classic engines: gasoline cars will decrease by 38.4% compared to 2025 (representing 23.1% of the volume of car registrations), while cars equipped with diesel engines will have a decline of 39% and will hold a market share of only 4.9% of the total.

“100% electric cars will not recover the ground lost in 2024 and 2025 (strongly affected by the reduction in subsidies offered through Rabla Auto), following a modest growth curve of only +7.6%, with a share of approximately 8.6% of total “electrified” car registrations and 6.2% of the total car market. The stars of 2026 will continue to be full hybrids, with 40% and occupying almost 38.9% of the “electrified” passenger car market and 28% of the total passenger car market”, estimates APIA.

According to the cited source, depending on the class, in 2026 a downward trend is expected for most segments in which passenger cars are classified, the only exceptions being recorded in the E class with a stagnation of 0.1%, respectively in the SUV – with an increase of 2.7%, compared to the previous year.

In terms of market share, the SUV segment will maintain the first position, with a share of approximately 54.2% (increasing compared to 2025), followed by the C Class – with a share of approximately 25%, and the B Class (14.4%).

“We estimate that light commercial vehicles + minibuses, in 2026, will stagnate, -0.3% compared to 2025, with a market share of approximately 9.8% of total registered vehicles, a level similar to that reached in 2025 (9.6%). The growth for registrations in the “electrified” LCV + Minibus category will be more modest, +29.1% compared to 2025, according to APIA forecasts, which would imply a slowdown in the pace experienced in previous years. As for heavy commercial vehicles and buses, this category will register a slight decrease of -1.1% compared to 2025, of which the “electrified” HCV + Bus segment will be up by +13.6% this year”, the specialized forecast states.