New-vehicle sales fall 2% in July as zero-emission sales climb

Canadians bought 176,156 new motor vehicles in July 2026, down 2% from the same month a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada.

Despite the lower number of vehicles sold, the dollar value of sales rose 1.6% year over year. Passenger-car sales fell 4.6%, while new-truck sales declined 1.6%.

Zero-emission share reaches 10.7%

Sales of new zero-emission vehicles reached 18,920, up 36% from July 2025. They represented 10.7% of all new vehicles sold, compared with 7.7% a year earlier.

Statistics Canada defines zero-emission vehicles as battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models that have the potential to produce no tailpipe emissions. The agency notes that the figures remain subject to revision.

Source: Statistics Canada, New motor vehicle sales, July 2026, released September 15, 2026.