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The European electric vehicle (EV) market experienced a significant shift in Q1 2025, with new players entering the scene and established brands showcasing impressive growth.
In a notable development, the Skoda Elroq, which made its debut in November 2024, recorded 6,531 registrations in its first quarter. The Skoda Enyaq, the brand's top-performing plug-in model, accounted for 55.3% of the brand's total, contributing to a 105.3% improvement in EV deliveries and a 1.7 percentage point increase in market share for Skoda.
Skoda's success was mirrored by other brands, with Volkswagen emerging as Europe's leading EV brand in the first quarter. The ID.3, ID.4, and ID.7 were VW's best-performing models, accounting for 60% of the marque's total. This strong performance resulted in a 161.2% year-on-year increase in deliveries for VW, further solidifying its position in the market.
Tesla's Model Y remained the top battery electric vehicle (BEV) model in Europe, but faced a recent sales decline of 33% in H1 2025. Despite this, the total BEV market grew by about 25% in volume year-to-date, driven by Chinese entrants like BYD, which surged past Tesla in Europe for the first time in April 2025. BYD's growth was primarily due to models like the BYD Dolphin Surf and others.
BMW secured second place, reaching 78,896 deliveries, up 12.3% year on year. Renault posted a 90% year-on-year increase in deliveries, marking its best quarterly period since the fourth quarter of 2022. Mercedes-Benz came third with 58,152 units, down 8.1% compared to the first quarter of 2024.
The plug-in market in Europe saw a surge in registrations, with a gain of 141,543 BEVs and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) compared to the first quarter of 2024. BEVs continued to account for the majority of EV registrations, making up 68.3% of the plug-in total from January to March.
New entrants and model refreshes, such as the Kia EV3, Renault 5, and Skoda Elroq, expanded the competitive landscape. Kia posted a 13.8% increase in deliveries, but its share dropped from 4.7% to 4.4% due to increasing competition. The Kia EV3 boosted the marque's volume significantly, making up 48.7% of its total.
Cupra achieved a record 124.6% year-on-year increase in registrations, securing seventh place in Europe's EV market. The Cupra Born BEV performed well early in the quarter, recording 11,171 units between January and February. Cupra captured 4.6% of the total EV market, up 2.1 percentage points from 2024.
In terms of market share and growth, BEVs accounted for approximately 15.6% of new car registrations in Europe during the first half of 2025, up from 12.5% in the same period in 2024. Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) commanded an even larger share of the market at 34.8%, with nearly 1.94 million units registered in H1 2025.
This paints a picture of a rapidly evolving European EV market in early 2025, with sustained growth but shifting leadership driven by intensified competition and consumer diversification. Germany led Europe's EV market in the first three months of 2025, accounting for 20.7% of all deliveries. The growth was primarily driven by all-electric powertrains, which saw registrations surge by 28%. March was the plug-in market's best month, with deliveries rising by 22.3%.
References: [1] https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/q1-2025-ev-sales-figures-reveal-surge-in-demand-for-electric-cars [2] https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/byd-surges-past-tesla-europe-first-time-april-2025 [3] https://www.ev-volumes.com/quarterly-registrations/2025-q1/ [4] https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/skoda-elroq-sales-figures-reveal-strong-start-electric-compact-suv
- The surge in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe is not limited to Skoda, as Volkswagen achieved the title of Europe's leading EV brand in Q1 2025.
- The technological advancements in the automotive industry are evident, as new brands like BYD surpassed established players like Tesla in Europe in April 2025.
- The growth in the European EV market is not only limited to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), as hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) commanded an even larger share of the market.
- The transitional shift towards electric vehicles is not only noticeable in the finance sector, but also in lifestyle choices, as BMW and Renault both experienced significant growth in their EV deliveries in Q1 2025.
