New numbers published this week by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association show that battery electric vehicle (BEVs) continue to increase their share of the market, accounting for 17 per cent of all new cars registered through the first third of 2025.
According to the ACEA, BEVs accounted for 15.3 per cent of total new car sales in the European Union, up from the 12 per cent recorded at the same point in 2024.
Expanding that to include the EU, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and the United Kingdom, BEVs accounted for 17 per cent of all new cars registered through the first four months of the year.
Looking at each country, BEVs increased their sales year-over-year in almost all 31 countries of the EU, EFTA, and UK through the first third of the year, with the exception of Estonia (-25.8 per cent), France (-4.4 per cent), Malta (-52.7 per cent), and Romania (-42.4 per cent).
In the EU, BEVs are now the third most popular car by power source with 15.3 per cent – thanks to a growth of 26.4 per cent year-over-year to 558,262 units through April – behind hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and petrol cars, which claimed shares of 35.3 per cent and 28.6 per cent respectively.
The biggest market for EVs – in numbers – is Germany, followed by the UK and France. Norway still leads in terms of  market share.
The share of hybrid electric vehicles continues to surge, although without the consistent growth across all countries experienced by BEVs in the first third of the year, seeing declines in seven countries in the EU and in Norway as well.
Maybe most damningly, however, is the performance of American electric carmaker Tesla. Already suffering from a well-publicised global decline in sales due in large part to the public and political opinions and actions of its CEO, Elon Musk, Tesla sales plummeted through the first four months of 2025, down 38.8 per cent across the EU, EFTA, and UK.
In April alone, Tesla sales dropped 49 per cent compared to April 2024, with only 7,261 units sold, compared to 14,228 a year earlier.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.