Sales of battery-electric cars in the EU grew by 34% in January 2025, compared to the same month last year, new data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has found.
According to the data, battery-electric cars, or BEVs, now account for 15%, with three European markets, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, accounting for close to two thirds (64%) of all new BEV sales.
Sales of BEVs were up 53.5% in Germany, 37.2% in Belgium and 28.2% in the Netherlands, year-on-year, while in France, sales fell by 0.5%.
New registrations of hybrid-electric cars increased by 18.4% in the EU in January, with France (where sales rose 52.2%), Spain (+23.5%), Germany (+13.7%), and Italy (+10.6%) leading the market.
Some 290,014 hybrid-electric cars, or HEVs, were registered in the EU in January 2025, which represents 34.9% of the total market.
Registrations of plug-in hybrid electric cars, or PHEVs, fell in January 2025, however, dropping by 8.5% to 61,406 units.
Notable reductions in PHEV sales in Belgium (-66.6%) and France (-54%) contributed to the overall decline, with PHEVs accounting for 7.4% of new car registrations in the EU in January.
Top manufacturers
Car manufacturers that saw an uplift in January include Cupra, the electric/hybrid arm of SEAT, which reported a 61.5% increase in sales, year-on-year, while Chinese EV manufacturer SAIC Motor reported a 76.5% gain.
While it was a pioneer in the electric vehicle space, Elon Musk’s Tesla found the going tougher, however, with a 50.3% decline in sales, year-on-year.
Petrol and diesel
Elsewhere, registrations of petrol cars fell by 18.9% in January 2025, while the diesel car market dropped by 27%. Petrol and diesel cars accounted for 29.4% and 10% of new registration, respectively, for the month.
‘In January 2025, new EU car registrations declined by -2.6%,’ ACEA said in a statement. ‘Notably, the bloc’s major markets saw declines, with France (-6.2%), Italy (-5.8%), and Germany (-2.8%). Spain conversely recorded a 5.3% increase.’ Read more here and here.
