Internal Combustion Engines Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends And Forecast (2025 - 2030)

Global Internal Combustion Engines Market Trends and Insights

Tightening Fuel-Economy Norms in Emerging Markets

India’s BS-VI Phase 2 and China’s CN-VII standards compel OEMs to deliver high-efficiency engines, as broad charging networks remain incomplete.^{[1]Association of Equipment Manufacturers, “Fuel-Economy Regulations in Emerging Markets,” aem.org} Instead of triggering rapid electrification, the rules stimulate localised redesign—variable compression, high-pressure direct injection, and mild-hybrid add-ons—so manufacturers stay compliant without shifting price-sensitive buyers to full EVs. Commercial fleets, conscious of payload limits, also prefer these lean-burn ICE solutions. Regional refineries accelerate the supply of ultra-low-sulfur fuel, which removes a bottleneck to the adoption of advanced after-treatment systems. Consequently, the internal combustion engines market benefits from regulatory pressure rather than suffering outright contraction.

Post-Pandemic Two-Wheeler Demand in South & Southeast Asia

Motorcycle registrations in India jumped 15% YoY in 2024 and similar momentum spread across Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Suburban commuters see personal two-wheelers as safer than crowded buses, while rural households rely on them for first-mile logistics. Small 125 cc–150 cc engines dominate because they strike a balance between fuel economy and purchase affordability. Regional OEMs are ramping up localized casting and machining to keep pace, thereby lifting volumes in the internal combustion engines market. Parallel policy incentives—such as lower registration fees for Euro 5-compliant motorcycles—promote cleaner yet still ICE-based mobility.

Infrastructure Gaps Slowing BEV Roll-out in Africa & Latin America

Grid instability in South Africa and slow rural electrification in Brazil highlight why many fleets continue to opt for diesel or ethanol engines. Commercial haulers value refueling speed and route flexibility, conditions not yet matched by public chargers. Governments, unwilling to stall economic growth, embrace cleaner ICE variants and biofuel blends as stepping-stone technologies. The result is a prolonged addressable base for the internal combustion engines market, especially in agricultural and mining corridors that demand rugged high-torque powertrains.

Turbo-Hybrid ICE Architectures Lowering Total Cost of Ownership

Hyundai’s 1.6L turbo-hybrid system achieves 45% thermal efficiency, saving fleet operators substantial fuel without requiring alterations to depot infrastructure.^{[2]Hyundai Motor Group, “Next-Generation Hybrid Powertrain Technical Paper,” hyundai.com} A smaller displacement, combined with electric boost, delivers city-grade torque while maintaining highway range. Component commonality with conventional engines keeps capital costs low, and the absence of plug-in requirements sidesteps grid constraints. This proposition appeals to municipalities seeking immediate CO₂ cuts, nudging the internal combustion engines market toward electrified yet fuel-dependent formats.

Accelerated Zero-Tailpipe-Emission Mandates in Europe & California

The Euro 7 regulations are set to begin in November 2026, while California aims to achieve 100% ZEV sales by 2035.^{[3]European Commission, “Euro 7 Regulation Text,” europa.eu} Compliance costs for particulate filters and NOx control tilt the economic equation in favor of BEVs in light-duty segments. OEMs are forced to allocate R&D resources into parallel drivetrains, raising unit costs for ICE models sold in permissive regions. Nevertheless, loopholes permitting synthetic fuels and hydrogen keep specialty niches open, cushioning the internal combustion engines market from an abrupt collapse.

Battery-Price Parity in Light Vehicles Expected by 2027

Pack costs flirt with USD 100/kWh, narrowing the purchase-price differentials between compact EVs and ICE equivalents.^{[4]International Energy Agency, “Electric Vehicle Outlook 2024,” iea.org} Urban customers who drive predictable daily distances perceive lifetime cost advantages shifting toward EVs, shrinking addressable urban passenger-car volumes. OEMs respond by doubling down on segments where battery mass or duty cycle still favors combustion, such as heavy trucks, marine propulsion, and portable power. This strategic realignment moderates, but does not eliminate, the forward momentum of the internal combustion engines market.

Segment Analysis

By Capacity: Balancing Mid-Range Scale with Heavy-Duty Upside

The 801 cc–1,500 cc band retained 53.1% of the internal combustion engines market share in 2024, anchoring supply for compact SUVs, light vans, and family hatchbacks. Urbanisation in emerging economies safeguards volume, while turbo-downsizing and start-stop technologies lift fuel economy enough to meet evolving norms. OEMs deploy modular block designs, allowing common machining lines to handle both gasoline and flex-fuel variants.

Meanwhile, engines above 3,000 cc are forecast to grow at a 6.7% CAGR through 2030, driven by demand in freight, construction, and power generation. Fleet operators prize high torque density and multi-fuel compatibility, particularly in markets where access to diesel, LNG, or biodiesel varies by province. Those attributes keep the internal combustion engines market relevant even in policy-progressive regions that exempt critical-use vehicles from ZEV quotas. Component suppliers invest in high-pressure common-rail systems and steel pistons, technologies that preserve durability while cutting specific emissions.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Fuel Type: Gasoline Dominance Meets Hydrogen Momentum

Gasoline engines captured a 60.8% share in 2024, benefiting from ubiquitous retail distribution, established maintenance networks, and lower upfront costs compared to hybrids. Incremental efficiency gains—such as variable valve timing and lean stratified charge—sustain appeal in budget-conscious markets. The segment’s vast installed base also underwrites aftermarket parts volumes, reinforcing lock-in effects that buoy the internal combustion engines market.

Hydrogen, although starting from a small base, is expected to lead growth at a 10.2% CAGR as OEMs exploit its drop-in nature for heavy-duty fleets, where battery size penalties are untenable. Cummins and Toyota demonstrate spark-ignition and compression-ignition variants that meet Euro VII and EPA 2027 targets without carbon-intensive fuels. Regional hydrogen hubs in Europe, Japan, and California ensure early off-take, and subsidies help mitigate fuel-station build-out costs. Diesel retains freight loyalty, and natural-gas engines gain traction in India’s expanding CNG corridor. These overlapping pathways underscore how fuel agnosticism, rather than a single-fuel bet, will define the future of the internal combustion engine market.

By End-Use Application: Light Vehicle Volume versus Off-Highway Upsurge

On-road light vehicles accounted for 63.5% of the internal combustion engine market size in 2024, as passenger cars and light trucks continue to be the primary choice for personal mobility in developing cities. OEMs refresh model lines with mild hybrids, enabling CO₂ cuts without structural redesign. Dealership retention programs and an abundance of independent garages support lifecycle affordability, prolonging ICE dominance within this use case.

Off-highway machinery, including tractors, excavators, and mining haulers, is expected to advance at an 8.8% CAGR through 2030. Duty cycles require long idling, high load factors, and remote-site refueling—conditions that are poorly served by pure EVs. Manufacturers integrate Stage V after-treatment and flexible fuel maps, raising resale values and lowering the total cost of ownership. The internal combustion engines industry, therefore, sees parallel growth streams: volume-driven light vehicles and margin-rich heavy equipment.

Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

Geography Analysis

Asia-Pacific controlled 49.8% of 2024 volume and is projected to expand at a 7.4% CAGR, anchored by China’s scale and India’s surging two-wheeler sales. Chinese plants produced more than 30 million engines in 2024, allowing tier-1 suppliers to amortise tooling over huge runs, which in turn keeps unit costs globally competitive. India’s rural electrification lag sustains demand for petrol and CNG scooters, while Indonesia and Vietnam deepen the localisation of component clusters. Japan pioneers hydrogen-ICE and hybrid exports, and South Korea perfects lean, high-volume casting for global OEMs.

Europe, under the Euro 7 and its Fit-for-55 roadmap, is experiencing a contraction in passenger-car output but sees pockets of investment in ICE engines for synthetic fuel readiness in the sports and luxury segments. Policy carve-outs for e-fuels postpone factory closures, and public funding for hydrogen corridors creates testbeds for long-haul trucks. North America leverages pickup demand and shale-gas abundance to sustain natural-gas and flex-fuel variants. US OEMs redirect some EV capex back to ICE plants to satisfy commercial-fleet backlogs, demonstrating the internal combustion engines market’s adaptive economics.

South America, the Middle East, and Africa represent expansion frontiers. Brazil’s ethanol economy underwrites flex-fuel portfolios; Argentina’s gas fields nurture LNG trucks; GCC nations capitalise on low diesel prices for construction booms. Persistent grid challenges encourage governments to classify advanced ICE as “transitional clean technology,” providing tax breaks for engines compatible with bio- or e-fuels. These regional stories collectively reinforce the premise that the internal combustion engine market will not fade uniformly but will fragment along economic and infrastructure fault lines.