Such data quotes Turkish agency Anadolu with reference to the London-based analytical company Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
According to the data, 12.9 million of the total sales volume was accounted for China. Sales in this country in 2025 increased by 17% compared to 2024. Despite this, sales in the country slowed down in the last quarter due to fierce domestic competition.
As competition in the domestic market intensifies, Chinese automakers are increasingly turning to overseas markets. South America, Southeast Asia and Central Asia have benefited from this export flow, which has also been a driver of global electric vehicle sales growth.
Electric cars from Chinese brands accounted for 19% of sales in the European market last year. Electric vehicle sales in Europe grew 33% year-on-year in 2025.
The year 2025 was a period of legislative changes for the European electric vehicle market, including the relaxation of EU emission targets for the year. In addition, many major European countries expanded or increased subsidies, which increased support for consumers to purchase electric vehicles.
A number of European countries recorded sales growth last year. In high volume countries such as Germany and the UK, sales were up 48% and 27% respectively. In France, which had a weaker start to the year, growth was 2%.
The most important development in the European electric vehicle market this year is expected to be changes aimed at easing the ban on the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines.
Under the new plan, future carbon emission standards for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles will be revised. The automakers’ goal of reducing tailpipe emissions by 100% from 2035 will be updated to 90%. The remaining 10% of emissions will be able to be offset through the use of low-carbon steel produced in the EU and the use of e-fuels and biofuels.
Sales of electric vehicles in North America (the US, Canada and Mexico) fell 4% last year to 1.8 million units, a sign of instability in the North American market.
In the US, electric vehicle sales grew only 1% year-on-year due to the elimination of tax incentives for electric vehicles from September 30, 2025, and the impact of protectionist trade policies.
The outlook for the electric vehicle market in North America is forecast to remain weak this year due to limited consumer incentives, a lack of supportive legislation and concerns about slowing investment in electrification.
Electric vehicle sales in the U.S. are expected to decline 29% this year.
Elsewhere in the world, electric vehicle sales are forecast to total 1.7 million units, up 48% from a year earlier.
Growth in these sales regions was supported by the increasing presence of Chinese brands.
