Car industry Almost a third more electric cars delivered in 2025
Electric cars are becoming increasingly important worldwide. Last year, around 13.7 million purely battery-electric cars were delivered, according to an analysis of the most important markets by PwC Autofacts and Strategy&.
28.01.2026, 05:38
SDA
That was more than 3.1 million purely battery-electric passenger cars (BEV) more than in 2024, an increase of 30 percent.
By far the most important market is China, where almost 9 million new electric vehicles were counted. However, growth there is only slightly above average at 33 percent. This is followed by Europe with 2.6 million BEVs and growth of 30 percent. The most important markets here were Germany with 545,000 cars (up 43%), the UK with 473,000 (up 24%) and France with 327,000 (up 12%).
"We are seeing very dynamic growth in Europe and in the leading market of Germany," says Harald Wimmer from PwC. "This development is driven by an increasingly wide range of attractive and powerful models." Vehicle and battery manufacturers have done their homework. The return to a uniform and familiar design language and naming is also helping.
US figures plummet after the end of tax breaks
The USA recorded 1.2 million new electric vehicles for the year as a whole - a minimal decline. Since tax benefits expired there at the end of September, sales have plummeted. In the fourth quarter, it was 31 percent below the previous year's figure.
A look at the market shares also shows how different the three major markets are: While pure electric cars make up a third of the market in China, they only account for 19 percent in Europe and 8 percent in the USA. However, if you count cars with electric drives in the broader sense - i.e. including plug-in hybrids and hybrids without plugs - the ratio is reversed: Europe is ahead of China with a share of 63% and 54% respectively. The USA remains clearly in third place with 22%.
Slower growth expected
Experts expect further significant, albeit slower, growth in electric cars in the coming years. In addition, plug-in hybrids may have passed their global peak, according to PwC. In the fourth quarter, they recorded declining registration figures worldwide - driven by the Chinese market, which is considered an early indicator of global trends.
"The ramp-up of electromobility is continuing and is changing markets worldwide," says Jörn Neuhausen from Strategy&. The next step will be a holistic approach that goes beyond the electric car - for example with bidirectional charging, which transforms vehicles into mobile power storage units.
