In December, electric vehicle sales in the European Union for the first time outpaced gasoline cars, despite proposals to relax emissions standards. Overall car sales are growing for the sixth consecutive month.
Sales of fully electric vehicles in the European Union surpassed those of gasoline cars for the first time in December, even as politicians proposed easing emissions regulations, according to data from the automotive industry group ACEA published on Tuesday, UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
Details
Registrations of battery electric vehicles, an indicator of sales, also exceeded those of gasoline cars in the broader European market, which includes the UK and Norway, as car sales on the continent grew for the sixth consecutive month year-on-year.
Competition from Chinese brands such as BYD, Changan, and Geely is intensifying the battle for the European market, even as domestic automakers like Volkswagen and BMW release new EV models.
In December, the EU unveiled a plan to roll back the existing ban on internal combustion engine cars from 2035, succumbing to pressure from automakers who are fending off challenges from Chinese competitors, US import tariffs, and difficulties in profitably selling electric vehicles.
However, experts expect electric vehicles to continue increasing their share in the European market.
Chris Heron, Secretary General of E-Mobility Europe, stated that European brands have begun to adapt by introducing new and affordable electric vehicles, while individual countries are offering new incentive programs.
"We are seeing consumers embrace this," Heron said. "We are confident that sales across Europe will continue to grow into 2026."
Total registrations in Europe, the UK, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) for Volkswagen and Stellantis increased by 10.2% and 4.5% respectively in December, while those for Renault fell by 2.2%.
Tesla registrations fell by 20.2% for the month, while BYD's rose by 229.7%.
Total car sales increased by almost 6%
Sales in the EU, UK, and European Free Trade Association increased by 7.6% to 1.2 million cars in December and by 2.4% to 13.3 million overall in 2025, reaching their highest volumes in five years, although they remained significantly below pre-pandemic levels, according to ACEA data.
Total car sales in the EU increased by 5.8% to almost one million cars in December and by 1.8% to 10.8 million for the year.
Registrations of battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and hybrid electric vehicles in December increased by 51%, 36.7%, and 5.8% respectively, together accounting for 67% of registrations in the bloc.
Independent automotive analyst Matthias Schmidt said that lower sales of gasoline cars partly reflect the reclassification of some of them as "mild hybrids," which only marginally contribute to emissions reduction.
"It will still be about half a decade before fully electric cars truly overtake internal combustion engine models across the region, but this is still the beginning," he said.
