Electric vehicle sales in EU surpass gas-powered cars for first time

ACEA data shows fully electric cars made up 22.6% of EU registrations in December, narrowly exceeding gasoline-only cars at 22.5%, while gasoline-electric hybrids held the largest share at 44%.

Fully electric car sales in the European Union exceeded those of gasoline-only vehicles for the first time in December, according to ACEA data. Electric vehicles accounted for 22.6% of registrations that month, while gasoline-only cars were 22.5%. Gasoline-electric hybrids, including plug-in hybrids, remained the largest group at 44%. The shift comes as policymakers debate emission rules and as competition from overseas brands grows. Key facts: - Fully electric vehicles made up 22.6% of EU registrations in December; gasoline-only cars were 22.5%. - Gasoline-electric hybrids, including plug-in hybrids, accounted for 44% of registrations. - Battery electric registrations rose 51%, plug-in hybrids rose 36.7% and hybrid electrics rose 5.8%; together they represented 67% of the bloc's registrations in December. - In the broader European market (including Britain and Norway), December sales rose 7.6% to 1.2 million cars, and overall 2025 sales were 13.3 million across that market. - Manufacturer movements included registration gains for Volkswagen and Stellantis, a decline at Renault, a fall in Tesla registrations and a sharp increase for BYD as reported in the data. Summary: The immediate impact is a measurable increase in the share of fully electric models within EU registrations, even as hybrid vehicles remain the largest category. Policy discussions about emission rules and intensified competition from international brands are shaping market dynamics, and industry sources expect EV sales to continue rising in 2026. Undetermined at this time.