Electric vehicles (EVs) have overtaken traditional petrol cars in the European Union for the first time, highlighting a major milestone in the region’s shift toward cleaner transport. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), registrations of fully electric vehicles (BEVs) reached 217,898 in December 2025, a 51% increase compared with the previous year. By contrast, petrol car sales dropped 19% to 216,492 units.
The surge in EV adoption comes amid growing regulatory support, rising fuel prices, and expanding charging infrastructure, which together are encouraging consumers to choose electric over petrol-powered vehicles. Analysts note that this shift marks a turning point in the EU’s transition to low-emission mobility.
For the full year 2025, BEVs accounted for 17.4% of total car sales across the EU, up from 13.6% in 2024, with Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France driving 62% of demand. Petrol car registrations fell 18.7% over the same period, with France seeing the sharpest decline at 32%, followed by Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Hybrid vehicles remain the largest segment, with sales rising 5.8% year-on-year in December. Plug-in hybrid models also saw strong growth, increasing 36.7% during the month, indicating that electrified vehicles are expanding more rapidly than conventional alternatives.
The ACEA recently highlighted that while EV adoption is accelerating, there is still room for growth to meet the EU’s broader climate targets. Automakers continue to navigate regulatory pressures and competitive dynamics, including growing competition from Chinese manufacturers.
Volkswagen retained the largest EU market share at 26.7% in December, while Tesla’s share dropped to 2.2%, and China’s BYD increased its presence to 1.9%.
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