Will vehicle electrification run low on power in 2026? Which technological trends will define the powertrain mix? Will Chinese brands succeed in Europe? An expert Autovista Group panel answers these questions in a webinar with Autovista24 editor, Tom Geggus.
The global new-car market has seen a cloudy 2025, with economic headwinds, trade wars and supply chain challenges. However, there have been some silver linings, including technological innovation and the launch of more affordable battery-electric vehicles (BEVs).
Autovista Group’s latest webinar, Global new-car market outlook 2026, explored these trends. The panel included chief economist, Dr Christof Engelskirchen, product director, Dr Anne Lange, and sales director, Dan Parnell.
Will electric headwinds persist in 2026?
So far, 2025 has seen some challenging economic headwinds. Examining forecast gross domestic product (GDP) for 2026, these conditions look set to continue, and even worsen in some cases.
On the other hand, inflationary rates do appear to have normalised. Most central banks look to be positioning inflation between 2% and 3%.
Meanwhile, the automotive industry is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced by protectionist trends and supply-chain challenges, Europe and North America are seeing registrations making a very slow return to 2019 figures. But with a continued push towards electric mobility, how has this affected the transition?
‘We are getting a lot of questions about whether there are strong headwinds to electrification,’ said Engelskirchen. ‘There are headwinds [in Europe], but the headwinds still translate into rising market shares for electric vehicles. This could be rising faster, but it is rising. Our forecast for 2026 is a 20% market share for battery-electric vehicles.’
In North America, policy shifts have moved away from supporting electrification. This lack of excitement in the powertrain has been factored into forecasts.
Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are forecast to continue to enjoy a growing share in China. Including extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), this powertrain category is still eligible for new-energy vehicle subsidies.
EV Volumes anticipates that EREVs will enjoy success in China, whereas the powertrain is not as financially attractive in Europe.
Battery chemistry trends for 2026
Demand for electric powertrains is driving battery innovation, with chemistry just one area currently being explored. ‘The trend is moving towards affordability, and in the future that will impact which battery chemistries are the most popular,’ said Parnell.
Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries can be expected to feature in a greater number of registered vehicles across all regions. This technology offers a good driving range while also being more cost effective to produce. This makes them ideal for the mass market. This trend is particularly noticeable in China.
This mass-market momentum is apparent in the launch of new electric vehicles (EVs), some of which are carrying smaller price tags. Affordable BEVs were launched around 2019 and 2020, such as the Volkswagen e-Up and the MG ZS EV.
However, the following three years saw a greater focus on premium models with large ranges and advanced technology.
‘We have seen recently, because volume needs to come into the market, there needs to be more affordability,’ said Lange. ‘We are getting back to a focus being on affordable vehicles and some models being released.’
On the other hand, PHEVs are larger, more complex vehicles. This is mainly because of their need for two powertrains. This means they are less likely to carry the mass market towards electrification.
Will Chinese brands succeed in Europe?
Brands from China are set to capture a greater share of the European EV market. However, the large volume of new brands, each with its own model range, raises several important questions. First, which ones will make a lasting impact in the region, and second, how will incumbent marques respond?
Build quality will be an important point for new entrants to consider, particularly in pursuit of the mass market. There will also be a need to approach the European market as a diverse automotive landscape with specific regional demands.
Meanwhile, European brands will need to tighten their production process to ensure maximum efficiency. A focus on more affordable models will also be key, with simple configurations. Playing to their advantages, these brands will need to leverage their existing reputation and production infrastructure.
Enjoyed Global new-car market outlook 2026? Then make sure to register for Autovista Group’s next webinar, 2026 residual value outlook: regional shifts and trends. This will take place on 21 January 2026 at 09:30 GMT, so sign up today.
The EU saw further registration improvements during October, with volumes continuing to grow. But which powertrains led the turnaround? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the latest data.
The EU’s new-car market turnaround continued in October, with another month of growth for the sector.
In total, 916,609 new passenger cars were registered across the 27 member states, according to the latest data from ACEA. This was a 5.8% improvement compared to October 2024. The result was once again driven by electrified deliveries, with the internal-combustion engine (ICE) market continuing its fall.
October’s growth marks the bloc’s fourth consecutive month of improvement. However, the figures between January and October appeared precarious as the market moved into the final two months of 2025.
EU sprinting to the finish
The EU market suffered four monthly declines in the first half of 2025. This made the task of achieving annual growth far from easy. However, in September, the market clawed back to cumulative growth.
October’s result strengthened this position. After 10 months of the year, new-car totals reached 8,974,026 units. This represented a gain of 120,725 registrations and a year-on-year growth of 1.4%.
On the back of a fourth consecutive increase, signs are currently positive for the rest of 2025. However, with such a slim margin, a bad result could push the market down. At the same point in 2024, the EU’s new-car market was up by just 0.7%. The bloc also saw four months of declines in the 10-month period.
The market is in a stronger position for 2025. It currently has double the growth, in terms of percentage points (pp), compared to the first 10 months of 2024. It would take a very bad volume decline in both months to cause a full-year drop.
This year’s largest monthly volume loss, to date, was June’s 79,777-unit decline. The second-largest was February’s 30,168-unit drop. Combined, this still equates to a 109,944-unit fall in deliveries. This highlights the plummet required for the market to suffer a year-on-year fall in 2025.
So, what would happen if both June and February were taken out of the equation? Across the remaining eight months of 2025, the EU new-car market would be up 3.4%.
EVs boost EU market
October’s market increase owes much to the electric vehicle (EV) market. Made up of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), the powertrains accounted for 29.4% of the month’s overall volume.
Without EVs, the overall EU new-car sector would have seen a 4% decline in the month. EV registrations totalled 269,434 units in the month. This translated to a rise of 40.2% year on year and an additional 77,260 deliveries. The result was the second-best of the year in terms of improvement, and the best in terms of volume.
Between January and October, plug-in models accounted for 25.5% of the new-car market, an increase of 5.3pp. In total, 2,292,648 EVs took to EU roads, a 28% rise year on year.
BEVs drive EU volumes forward
BEVs performed best in the month. The powertrain saw 173,173 units registered across the EU, a 38.6% increase year on year. This meant an additional 48,241 all-electric models made it to EU roads, the largest unit improvement of any powertrain.
The result meant that BEVs achieved an 18.9% market share in the month, up by 4.5pp compared to October 2024. This equalled their largest monthly share in the first 10 months of 2025. However, with the largest volume of the 10-month period, October was by far the powertrain’s best performance.
However, it was not completely plain sailing for BEVs in the month. There were declines in Belgium and Sweden, down 3% and 0.8%, respectively.
This does suggest uptake in these markets has slowed. However, it was not enough to dent the overall result. This was because the technology saw strong growth in other high-volume BEV markets. In Denmark, registrations rose by 29.3%, while in France, all-electric deliveries increased by 63.2%.
Germany also saw a notable BEV improvement of 47.7%. This was joined by the Netherlands, Italy and Spain, up 27.4%, 24.9% and 90.1%, respectively.
The most impressive performance came from Poland, with an increase of 319.9% year on year in October. Slovakia and Slovenia also posted triple-digit growth of 125.1% 208.1%, respectively. Yet these were based on very low volumes.
Between January and October, EU BEV registrations rose by 25.7%, with 1,473,447 units delivered. This has given the all-electric sector a 16.4% share of the overall total, up by 3.2pp year on year.
PHEV turnaround continues
PHEVs achieved the biggest year-on-year increase in the month, with a 43.2% rise in registrations. In total, 96,261 units were delivered, claiming 10.5% of the market, up 2.7pp. This was the technology’s highest volume of 2025 so far.
PHEVs started 2025 with two consecutive months of decline. Since then, the technology has been on an impressive run. It recorded double-digit improvement in every month since March, and has not dropped below the 31.2% growth recorded in April.
October’s PHEV performance was partly driven by Spain and Italy, which saw PHEV registrations up 145.6% and 112.1% respectively.
Germany saw a 60% year-on-year improvement. Meanwhile, the Netherlands also experienced a strong volume increase of 42.7%. Poland again saw a big jump, albeit against lower volumes, with 122.7% more PHEVs delivered.
But the powertrain did struggle in other key EV markets. France suffered a 14.4% decline in registrations, while Belgium experienced a 19% fall in volumes. This was not enough to derail PHEV progress. Yet, it may have contributed to the lowest overall growth since June 2025.
The PHEV market’s turnaround after February has been strong. After the first two months of 2025, it carved out a 5% registration decline and just a 7.4% market share.
Conversely, after 10 months, it recorded a volume increase of 32.4%. The technology captured 9.1% of overall new-car volumes, up 2.1pp. In total, 819,201 units were delivered to EU customers.
Between March and October alone, the powertrain saw an increase of 42.5%, emphasising its strong run of performances.
Hybrid domination continues
The EU’s hybrid market, made up of full and mild-hybrid powertrains, continued to lead the new-car sector in volume terms.
For the second time this year, the powertrain led the combined ICE market in terms of registration share. Its 34.5% hold of the total was up 1.1pp year on year. It was higher than the 32.9% taken by the combined forces of petrol and diesel registrations.
In total, 316,068 hybrid units were delivered in October, a rise of 9.4%. This equated to an increase of 27,192 units.
All but three of the 27 EU member states saw hybrid volumes rise during the month. The Netherlands saw a 3.2% decrease, alongside Estonia and Ireland, with declines of 48.2% and 11.2%, respectively. However, the latter two countries recorded volumes of under 1,000 units.
Across the first 10 months of 2025, hybrids saw growth of 15.6%, with 3,109,362 units registered. This is an increase of 420,317 units compared to the same period of last year. This gave the powertrain a 34.6% market share, up 4.2pp.
Adding the hybrid result to the EV total, in October, electrified models made up 63.9% of the overall market. This is a 7.4pp rise compared to the same period of last year. They registered 585,502 units in the month, up 21.7%.
Between January and October, electrified models saw 5,402,010 registrations, up 20.6%. After 10 months of 2025, they commanded a 60.2% share of the market, up 9.6pp.
Petrol and diesel struggles continue
While electrified vehicles pick up speed, petrol and diesel keep slowing. Only seven markets in the EU saw petrol volumes improve. Meanwhile, just three countries saw diesel increases.
This meant that the petrol market fell 14.3% in October, with 227,416 deliveries. The powertrain took a 24.8% share, down 5.8pp year on year. This was the lowest monthly market share of 2025 so far for the fuel type. Moreover, it marked the second month in a row that it achieved less than a quarter of the market total.
October’s result added to a year of declines for the powertrain. After 10 months of 2025, deliveries were down 18.3%, with 2,459,151 units registered. This left petrol’s share at 27.4%, a drop of 6.6pp year on year.
Meanwhile, diesel deliveries dropped 21.9% in October, as 73,830 units were taken to EU roads. This led the technology to an 8.1% market share, a drop of 2.8pp compared to the same period last year.
Across the first 10 months of 2025, diesel suffered a 24.5% fall in volumes, with a total of 821,178 units. This equated to a 9.2% market share, down 3.1pp year on year.
Combined, the ICE market saw a 16.3% decline in October with 301,246 registrations, a drop of 58,636 units. The powertrain group’s 32.9% market share was just 3.5pp ahead of the EV sector, and an 8.7pp decline year on year.
Between January and October, ICE deliveries fell 20%, with 3,280,329 registrations. This was 818,454 units lower than the same period of 2024. Petrol and diesel volumes made up 36.6% of overall new-car deliveries after 10 months, a fall of 10.3pp.
As a leading European electric vehicle (EV) market, the fortunes of Germany’s carmakers are key to the continent’s plug-in success. But while some domestic brands are thriving, others are not. Tom Hooker, Autovista24 journalist, reviews the figures.
Germany’s EV market has enjoyed a positive 2025 so far, recording a year-on-year improvement of 46.3% between January and September. This equated to 596,585 sales, according to EV Volumes. Plug-in delivery pace was even stronger in the third quarter alone, with a 56.7% surge to 210,903 units.
These figures cemented the country’s position as the third biggest EV market worldwide three quarters into the year. It followed only China and the US. It led Europe’s EV efforts, ahead of other major new-car markets such as the UK and France.
Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have helped push the EV market forward in 2025, but for different reasons.
BEVs experienced a 37.8% rise in volumes across the first nine months of the year. This means 104,081 more all-electric models took to German roads compared to the same period of 2024.
While PHEVs recorded lower volume improvements compared to 2024, their relative growth was significantly higher. The powertrain’s sales soared by 64.1% to 216,962 units from January to September.
Demand has picked up pace throughout the year, with an 86.3% improvement in September alone. EV Volumes does include extended-range electric vehicles in its plug-in hybrid figures.
Looking ahead, Germany’s EV market is forecasted to grow by 16.7% in 2026. Plug-in models are expected to take a 33% share of the overall new-car market, with BEVs alone capturing 22.1%.
Will incentives impact EVs?
Germany’s new purchase incentives may help achieve this growth. Coming into effect in 2026, this will be the first time since December 2023 that these subsidies have been available. However, little is currently known about the details of these subsidies.
The country also recently presented a first draft of the Masterplan Ladeinfrastruktur 2030. The document outlines the German government’s strategy to coordinate and accelerate the deployment of publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure.
The plan’s 41 measures look to boost demand and investment, simplify and accelerate implementation, as well as increase price transparency. Improving electricity grid integration and enhancing user-friendliness are also covered.
VW’s EV dominance
Volkswagen (VW) dominated Germany’s EV market during the first nine months of 2025, with 113,607 units delivered to customers. This was nearly double the total of its nearest competitor and represented an improvement of 134.9% year on year.
The brand took a controlling 19% share of its domestic EV market, up 7.1 percentage points (pp) year on year. The VW brand also sold the largest volume of EVs in the third quarter alone, recording a 121% increase to 37,605 deliveries.
The best-selling BEV and PHEV models nine months in 2025 both hailed from the carmaker. The VW ID.7 sat atop the all-electric table, with 25,101 sales and a 6.6% market share. It also made up 22.1% of VW’s overall EV volumes.
Its sibling, the ID.3, was just 2,227 units behind. However, the hatchback chipped away at the ID.7’s lead after topping September’s monthly standings. It managed a 146.6% year-on-year increase to 2,979 deliveries. The ID.4 placed fifth in the January to September BEV chart, thanks to 16,031 units.
Meanwhile, VW’s Tiguan captured 5.5% of the PHEV market from January to September, holding first place with 11,848 sales.
The VW Passat took fourth in the PHEV table, posting 9,302 deliveries. While not in the top 10 in the first three quarters, the VW Tayron has been ramping up volumes. It captured sixth in the September monthly results with 1,052 units.
Solid EV growth for BMW
BMW sold 61,023 new EVs in Germany from January to September, an uptick of 32.5% year on year. Despite double-digit growth, its share slipped by 1.1pp to 10.2%. Its performance in the third quarter was nearly identical to its result across the first nine months of the year, as it sat second with 22,461 units.
Its best-selling EV model was the iX1, accounting for 20.5% of the carmaker’s total. After nine months of 2025, the BEV placed seventh in the standings with 12,489 sales. BMW’s i4 also enjoyed demand, as the all-electric sedan achieved 8,043 deliveries from January to September.
Elsewhere, the BMW 5-Series sat sixth in the PHEV table after nine months into 2025, with 7,491 units. Yet, it could only manage ninth in September’s monthly chart. It was outperformed by the BMW X3, which came fourth with 1,176 deliveries.
Mercedes-Benz loses ground
Unlike the first two brands in the table, Mercedes-Benz has seen its EV volumes stagnate so far in 2025. Its 55,795-unit total after nine months of the year represents a 0.5% decline.
However, looking at the manufacturer’s third-quarter results alone, things seem more positive. Mercedes-Benz delivered 19,798 new EVs to customers from July to September, equating to a 7.4% growth year on year.
The carmaker accounted for 9.4% of overall EV sales in the three months. This contrasted with the same period one year ago, when it led Germany’s plug-in market with a 13.7% share.
Spearheading the brand’s electric efforts between January and September was the E-Class. It sat in third in the PHEV table with 9,393 sales after nine months. The GLC also appeared in the standings in eighth, recording 7,115 deliveries. The duo made up 29.6% of the brand’s overall EV volumes.
Although not featured in the top 10, the EQA BEV also recorded strong sales across the first nine months of 2025. It accounted for 13.1% of Mercedes-Benz’s total plug-in figure, thanks to 7,283 sales.
Cupra claws up the table
Charging behind Mercedes-Benz was VW Group brand, Cupra. The marque achieved a 133% year-on-year growth in EV sales after three quarters of 2025, with 45,379 units. This translated to a 7.6% share, up from 4.8%.
However, its improvement was less pronounced from July to September. The brand recorded an 86.1% rise in plug-in sales, placing it sixth in the quarterly chart.
Of its five EV models available in Germany, four featured in either the BEV or PHEV cumulative table. The Cupra Born led the way, as the all-electric hatchback recorded 14,859 deliveries after nine months of the year. It landed sixth in the BEV chart and accounted for almost a third of Cupra’s entire EV total.
The BEV also took sixth in September’s monthly chart, as it was joined by the Tavascan. The SUV placed seventh, with 1,296 units, equating to a 251.2% growth year on year. This was the best improvement of any model in September’s all-electric top 10.
Meanwhile, the Formentor held up well against its PHEV competitors. It sat in fifth after three quarters of 2025, posting 7,669 sales. It was joined by the Cupra Leon in seventh and the Cupra Terramar in 10th, with 7,330 and 6,709 units, respectively.
Skoda’s 2025 EV success
Another VW Group brand to make the EV top 10 across the first three quarters was Skoda. It placed fifth, just 224 units behind Cupra. The brand recorded the best year-on-year growth of any carmaker in the top 10, with volumes surging by 147.7% to 45,155 units. This meant its share jumped from 4.5% to 7.6%.
Skoda’s growth in the third quarter was slightly slower, at 90.6%. Yet, it achieved the fourth-best EV volume between July and September, just 142 units ahead of Audi.
Skoda’s success so far in 2025 can mostly be attributed to its Enyaq and Elroq SUVs. The two represented 76.5% of the carmaker’s total between January and September.
They also captured third and fourth, respectively, in the BEV standings between January and September. While the Enyaq had a higher total of 18,485 sales, its younger sibling posted stronger results in recent months. The Elroq took third in September’s monthly chart, with 2,565 deliveries, while the Enyaq finished fifth.
Can Audi catch up?
Audi sat in sixth in the cumulative EV table, 2,999 units behind its nearest competitor. The domestic marque’s growth has not been as strong as the two other VW Group-owned brands ahead of it.
However, its market share still increased by 0.3pp to 7.1%, as its deliveries rose 52.7% to 42,156 units. Audi also performed well in the third quarter, taking fifth thanks to a 90.1% uptick in demand.
Its two highest volume EV models rounded out the BEV chart after nine months. This was the Q4 e-tron in ninth with 9,214 sales, and the Q6 e-tron in 10th with 9,166 sales. The two SUVs accounted for 43.6% of the carmaker’s total plug-in volumes.
Volvo’s strong PHEV contender
The seventh most popular EV brand after nine months of 2025 was Volvo. Volumes dropped 5.6% to 26,270 units, as its share consequently fell by 2.4pp to 4.4%. The third quarter was similar, with Volvo enduring an even steeper 14.2% loss in volumes to 7,956 units.
The manufacturer did see one silver lining, however. Its XC60 was second in the PHEV chart after the first three quarters of 2025. The crossover recorded 9,949 sales in this period, trailing the VW Tiguan by just 1,899 units. The XC60 was responsible for 37.9% of Volvo’s EV volumes.
Solid EV growth for Hyundai
Hyundai posted 24,193 EV sales between January and September, putting it eighth in the EV standings. The growth meant its share ticked up by 0.1pp to 4.1%. Its delivery pace slowed marginally in the third quarter, with a 45.4% improvement to 8,745 units.
The brand did not feature any models in the BEV or PHEV cumulative table after three quarters of the year. Instead, its volumes were spread relatively evenly across its EV range. The Inster BEV topped the pack, with 8,052 sales.
Behind, Ford managed a 104.6% improvement in EV volumes across the first three quarters of 2025. This equated to 23,638 new models sold and a 1.2pp rise in share to 4%. Apart from VW, it was Germany’s fastest-growing EV brand in the third quarter alone, with sales surging by 114.8%.
The Ford Kuga placed ninth in the PHEV standings after nine months. Its 6,817-unit total represented 28.8% of the carmaker’s EV total.
Yet, it was not Ford’s best-selling plug-in. That title was taken by the Explorer BEV, which posted 7,608 sales from January to September. This gave it a 32.2% share of Ford’s plug-in figure.
Tesla was 10th in the EV standings between January and September, with 14,843 units. The brand has struggled in Germany in 2025 so far, with a 50.3% slump in EV volumes. This caused its share to plummet from 7.3% to 2.5%. However, taking figures from July to September, its sales saw a less severe drop of 30.7%.
The Model Y led the European and global EV markets after three quarters of 2025, as well as placing strongly in China. However, it did not experience the same success in Germany. Even with a fourth-place finish in September’s monthly BEV table, the crossover placed eighth in the cumulative chart.
As Europe’s electric vehicle (EV) market grows, newer entrants such as BYD are establishing themselves. Autovista24 journalist Tom Hooker examines the latest figures from EV Volumes.
EV sales in Europe have continued to charge forward, with a year-on-year uptick of 27.1% between January and September. According to EV Volumes, a combined total of 2,720,459 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) were sold.
This growth was spearheaded by a 34% improvement in the third quarter, as 926,519 new EVs were delivered.
So far this year, PHEVs have recorded greater growth rates than BEVs. EV Volumes does include extended-range electric vehicles in its plug-in hybrid figures. PHEVs enjoyed a 31.5% rise in demand during the first nine months of 2025, with 919,112 deliveries. This is an improvement from the 21.7% growth in the first half of the year.
Monthly PHEV volumes have ramped up throughout 2025, peaking with a 55.7% increase in September, reaching 130,179 sales. This marked the powertrain’s best year-on-year growth since June 2021, and its highest monthly figure since December 2022.
This means PHEV’s share of the EV market increased to a 33.8% slice between January and September. This was a 1.1 percentage point (pp) rise from its position during the same period of 2024.
BEVs saw greater volumes across the first three quarters of the year. A total of 1,801,347 all-electric models took to European roads from January to September. This was an improvement of 25% year on year.
The technology saw 257,297 deliveries in September alone, capping a ninth consecutive month of double-digit growth. This was its highest monthly total since December 2022 and marked a 20.3% increase compared to one year prior.
So, with growth in almost every month so far this year for both powertrains, which brands have capitalised, and which have fallen behind?
Chinese brands increase EV share
Chinese brands have undoubtedly increased their EV presence in Europe. Many carmakers from the country have seen their market shares rise this year, as volumes have surged.
One example is BYD, which recorded a 302.6% year-on-year EV sales improvement over the first three quarters of 2025. This means out of the top 10 best-selling EV brands in Europe this year, it is comfortably the fastest-growing.
BYD was eighth in the EV sellers ranking between January and September. The carmaker’s 119,085-unit total translated to a 4.4% market share, up 3pp compared to the first three quarters of 2024.
Between July and September, the Chinese brand’s volumes rose by 284% to 48,336 registrations. This placed it seventh in the quarterly table, with a 4.8% market hold, up from 1.8% during the third quarter of 2024.
Seal U steals the show
The highlight of BYD’s EV range was the Seal U plug-in hybrid. It led Europe’s year-to-date PHEV market for the first time in September, moving past the VW Tiguan with 45,837 units. This also marked the first time a model from a Chinese brand has led Europe’s cumulative PHEV or BEV standings.
This was thanks to a 10,089-registration tally in September alone. This made it the month’s third-best-selling EV in Europe, behind only the Tesla Model Y and Tesla Model 3.
Xpeng has also made significant progress in Europe this year. The brand’s volumes soared by 185.3% to 12,729 units after nine months of 2025. Its G6 SUV has been its best performer, with 8,751 so far this year.
Meanwhile, Lynk & Co saw a 20.8% increase in deliveries from January to September, with 6,351 registrations. The majority of the carmaker’s volume came courtesy of its 01 PHEV.
Barriers to entry remain
The entrance of new brands does not come without hurdles, however. BEVs produced in China still face steep EU import tariffs, which were imposed in October 2024. This means increasing their European EV presence is not easy. Carmakers may consider localising production or raising list prices.
Some brands are focusing on plug-in hybrids. While PHEVs are subject to the regular 10% EU import duty, the technology does navigate around the BEV tariff rate.
For example, PHEVs made up 85.1% of Lynk & Co’s EV sales. Conversely, Xpeng focused solely on BEVs, which represented 100% of its EV deliveries. BYD had a more balanced strategy, with PHEVs accounting for 40.1% of its EV total.
VW doubles down on EVs
Volkswagen (VW) continued to sell the greatest volume of EVs in Europe after the first nine months of 2025. The brand’s total of 305,746 deliveries equated to a 104.6% surge. In turn, VW’s market EV share rose by 4.2pp to 11.2%.
The German marque’s pace is not slowing down. It recorded the most EV registrations in Europe from July to September, with 101,683 units equating to an 84.8% year-on-year improvement.
The brand has seen many of its EV models perform well this year. In the BEV market, the VW ID.3 sat fourth after the first three quarters of 2025, with 57,699 units. The ID.4 took seventh, followed by the ID.7 in eighth, with 56,186 and 53,570 registrations, respectively.
For nine months in 2025, the VW Tiguan has been in a hotly contested battle at the top of the PHEV market. It sat in second with 45,277 deliveries, putting it just 560 units behind the BYD Seal U.
BMW’s comfortable position
BMW’s EV sales recorded a 15.6% improvement from January to September, posting 245,276 deliveries. It was secure in second position at the end of September. The brand trailed VW by 60,470 units, while sitting ahead of third by 60,046 deliveries.
The manufacturer captured 9% of the European EV market. However, due to increased competition, this was a 0.9pp drop compared to the first three quarters of 2024. In the third quarter alone, its share fell by 1.3pp to 8.7%. This was despite a 17% rise in volumes to 80,809 units, which placed it in second.
However, the brand only placed one model in the cumulative top 10 of both the BEV and PHEV rankings. The BMW iX1 was the 10th best-selling BEV in Europe, with 46,775 deliveries, 3,446 units behind ninth. Meanwhile, the BMW X1 landed fifth in the PHEV standings, posting 30,314 deliveries from January to September.
Stagnation for Mercedes-Benz?
Mercedes-Benz was the third German brand to make Europe’s EV top three. This was thanks to 185,230 sales across the first three quarters of the year.
However, this was down 0.6% compared with the same period of 2024, mainly caused by a poor first quarter. Consequently, its share in the first nine months of 2025 dropped from 8.7% to 6.8%.
Yet, Mercedes-Benz managed a 5.4% increase in registrations between July and September, with 63,412 units. Should Mercedes-Benz be able to replicate this result in the last three months of the year, it could avoid a full-year decline.
Just one of its models sits in the BEV or PHEV top 10, namely the Mercedes-Benz GLC plug-in hybrid. The SUV is in seventh in the year-to-date BEV standings with 25,847 units. It was closely followed by the MG eHS, just one delivery behind in eighth.
Tesla banks on Model Y
Tesla deliveries took a 29.2% drop in Europe between January and September, equating to a loss of 71,131 units. Meanwhile, its share slumped by 5.1pp to 6.3%. Yet, the brand still took fourth in the year-to-date table, with 172,582 units.
Tesla’s decline was less pronounced in the third quarter, with a 20.4% drop, to 62,557 registrations.
The Model Y and the Model 3 made up 99.3% of Tesla’s sales in Europe after three quarters of 2025. The crossover comfortably led Europe’s all-electric market after nine months of the year, with 109,524 units.
Meanwhile, the Model 3 moved up to second in September. It sat 47,738 deliveries behind its sibling, recording 61,786 registrations from January to September. Both models also locked out the top two spots in the month’s BEV table, despite their volumes falling year on year.
Audi’s growing EV presence
Audi moved up to fifth in Europe’s year-to-date EV standings, thanks to 151,005 deliveries. This represented year-on-year growth of 14.2%. However, its share fell by 0.6pp to 5.6%. In the third quarter alone, the German marque enjoyed a 33.4% uptick in demand to 51,034 units, placing it in sixth.
No Audi models featured in the BEV or PHEV top 10 tables after nine months of the year. However, the Q6 e-tron did place 10th in September’s monthly all-electric standings, with a 253.9% delivery surge to 5,323 units.
Yet, it was the Audi Q4 e-tron that was the brand’s most popular EV model after three quarters of 2025. It represented 29.3% of the carmaker’s overall plug-in figure.
Falling EV registrations for Volvo
Volvo suffered a 17.3% fall in EV sales from January to September, dropping to sixth in the year-to-date table. Its 147,339-unit total gave it a 5.4% share of the market, down from 8.3%.
The manufacturer endured an even steeper decline of 17.8% in the third quarter alone, with volumes dropping to 44,849 units. Its market hold in this period was 4.4% down from 7.9% in the third quarter of 2024.
Its Volvo XC60 sat in third in the year-to-date PHEV table with 42,555 units, just behind the VW Tiguan. The model landed fourth in September’s monthly standings, pipped by the Jaecoo J7. The SUV made its first-ever appearance in the PHEV top 10, with a record 6,122 registrations.
Skoda’s mixed EV performance
Skoda posted a 129.3% surge in plug-in deliveries during the first nine months of 2025. It sat seventh in the cumulative table with 145,385 units, as its share grew by 2.3pp to 5.3%.
This improvement was foreshadowed in the third quarter. The brand saw a 95.7% rise in volumes between July and September alone, putting it fifth. Two BEVs have led Skoda’s EV efforts, although they faced contrasting fortunes.
The Elroq moved up to third in the year-to-date BEV table, with 58,680 registrations, just 3,106 units behind second. It also took third in September’s monthly BEV standings, with 9,972 deliveries.
Its older sibling, the Enyaq, fell two spots to sixth in the cumulative BEV chart, with 56,581 units delivered.
Cupra and Renault fall
BYD’s improvement came at the expense of Cupra and Renault, who were victims of the continent’s competitive nature. The brands dropped to ninth and 10th, respectively, in Europe’s EV standings after the first three quarters of the year.
This was despite a volume increase of 80.4% for the former, as its share grew from 2.9% to 4.2%. Meanwhile, Renault’s EV registrations surged by 82.8%, equating to a 1.3pp rise in share to 4.1%. Yet, neither brand featured in the third quarter’s EV top 10.
The combined total of the Renault 5 and Alpine A290 represented over half of Renault’s EV total between January and September. The hatchback sat fifth in the BEV chart after three quarters of 2025, with 56,642 deliveries.
Cupra’s most notable model was the Formentor, which secured ninth in the PHEV top 10 after three quarters of the year. This was thanks to 21,480 deliveries.
At the end of the third quarter, all of Europe’s big five automotive markets saw used-car transactions grow. However, two countries are in danger of seeing growth turn to decline. Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the latest data.
Used-car transactions in Spain, Italy, the UK, Germany and France all saw growth in the third quarter of the year. As the big-five European markets report mixed fortunes in the new-car market, their used-car sectors performed more solidly.
The results also highlight that there is still demand for new petrol and diesel models. This is despite both powertrains suffering widespread declines in new-car markets. Where powertrain breakdowns were available, internal-combustion engine (ICE) transactions continued to dominate.
Between January and September, all the big five used-car markets were up year on year. However, while some are coasting towards a full-year improvement, others are seeing results balanced on a knife-edge. For France and Germany, a poor fourth quarter could result in used-car transactions dropping across the whole of 2025.
Spain bounces back
Spain’s used-car market bounced back in the third quarter. Transactions were up by 7.4% according to Autovista24 calculations based on available data from GANVAM.
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July saw 193,933 sales, resulting in an 8.6% improvement based on analysis of available data. Like other major used-car markets, August was Spain’s weakest month, with 144,228 transactions taking place, which was up by 1.7%. September proved to be the best month of the quarter, with 182,488 used cars changing hands, an 11.1% rise.
Spain is currently the best-performing of Europe’s big five new and used-car markets. After a poor second quarter, July to September provided a strong performance to further boost year-to-date totals.
In that period, used-car transactions improved by 4.4%, based on Autovista24 analysis. In total, 1,548,388 sales took place. While volumes were lower, year-on-year growth was the best of the big five.
Diesel dominates the market
Diesel remained the most popular used powertrain in Spain, according to GANVAM. In the first nine months of 2025, 810,120 transactions for the fuel type took place, a decrease of 0.2%.
Petrol was the second-best performing fuel type. In total, 582,426 used units were sold, a rise of 4.5%.
In terms of market share, diesel held 52.3% of Spain’s used-car market between January and September, according to Autovista24 calculations. Petrol was some way behind, accounting for 37.6% of transactions. Together, ICE models dominated, with 89.9% of the market.
However, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales have improved rapidly, with a 50.5% growth in the first nine months of the year, according to GANVAM. In total, 20,169 sales took place in the period, equating to a share of 1.3%.
‘The data demonstrates that the used-car market is an effective way for consumers to embrace electromobility; a trend that would accelerate by including electric vehicles up to 36 months old in demand incentive programs,’ GANVAM stated.
Older cars pose a problem
GANVAM’s data shows that cars aged between one and three years accounted for a quarter of sales in September. These volumes rose by 16% in the month. Meanwhile, models over 15 years old saw their growth rate slow to 6%. However, they represented four out of every 10 transactions.
‘The prevalence of these models, over 15 years old, in the used-car market demonstrates the urgent need to implement a scrappage incentive program to accelerate progress toward decarbonisation goals,’ GANVAM stated.
‘Industry associations argue that focusing the decarbonisation strategy solely on electrification, without accompanying it with realistic solutions for removing the oldest and most polluting vehicles, is ineffective, especially considering that 25% of the current vehicle fleet is over 20 years old,’ the association concluded.
Italy looks to used cars
While Italy’s new-car market is struggling, its used-car sector has been strong across the first nine months of 2025. The third quarter proved to be the best so far for the market in terms of growth.
According to data from ANFIA, 1,295,898 transactions took place between July and September. This represented a 6.2% improvement.
July was the highest volume month, with 504,837 units changing hands. This was a 5.5% rise year on year. August was more stable, with a 0.8% improvement, as 302,501 transactions took place.
In terms of growth, September was the best month of the year so far. With 488,560 sales, volumes were up by 10.6%, according to ANFIA data. This was a jump of 46,743 passenger cars compared to the same month in 2024.
Between January and September, 4,144,412 cars changed hands, a 4% rise year on year. In contrast, the country’s new-car market experienced a 2.9% decline in the same period.
UK remains largest used-car market
The UK’s used-car market grew by 2.8% in the third quarter of 2025, as 2,021,265 models changed hands. This gave it the highest quarterly volume total of the European big five.
The latest figures from the SMMT suggest the July to September period was the best third quarter since 2021. It also marked an 11th consecutive quarter of growth, as a healthy new-car market has enabled strong supply.
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July proved to be the best month, with 693,512 transactions, a 3.7% rise year on year. In total, 24,622 more cars changed hands in the period. August saw a 1.4% increase in sales, with 678,945 transactions.
Despite being a plate-change month in the new-car market, September continued the trend of being the lowest-volume used-car month of the quarter. Only 648,808 units changed hands in the month. However, this was still up 3.4% year on year.
Overall, the third quarter was the strongest of the year so far. Between January and September, 6,038,371 transactions took place, a rise of 2.4%.
Petrol remains on top
Petrol remained the best-selling powertrain in the used-car market during the quarter. 1,145,148 units were sold, a rise of 1.9% compared to the same period in 2024.
Diesel transactions fell 2.8% between July and September, with 658,664 sales. Despite this fall, the figures suggest there is still an appetite for the fuel type. The result is in stark contrast to the new-car market, where just 24,934 units were registered in the quarter, a 20.7% decline.
This registration decline is likely due to limited offerings from carmakers as the technology continues to fall out of favour. While enabling longer distance driving, many drivers look to the used-car market for their diesel models.
However, the supply of newer models to the used-car market has dropped as registration numbers have fallen. Therefore, many of these transactions are likely coming from older vehicles. This will increase the UK’s car parc age, which currently stands at 9.5 years on average. This has risen from an average of eight years old in 2019.
In total, 89.2% of all used cars changing hands in the third quarter were powered purely by ICE. This was down slightly year on year.
Records for EVs
Full hybrids saw a 30% rise year on year. With 107,727 transactions, the technology increased its used-car market share to 5.3% of the total. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) also had a good quarter, with a 2% rise to 23,480 units and a 1.2% market share.
However, BEVs were the fastest-growing powertrain. It was the fourth best-selling powertrain in the UK used-car market with 80,614 transactions. This was up 44.4% year on year, with one in 25 buyers going all electric, meaning a 4% market share.
While this is a record figure for BEVs, the low share highlights early market penetration. Buyers may be interested in new models, but older all-electric vehicles are struggling to inspire. With early battery technology, shorter ranges and possibly depleted energy storage, used BEVs must make a good value-for-money proposition.
Germany finds stability
Germany’s used-car market has been on a rollercoaster ride in 2025, much like the country’s new-car registrations. A 1% increase in the third quarter meant that transactions remained stable in the first nine months of the year.
In the three-month period, 1,678,257 used cars changed hands. This was the strongest quarter of 2025 so far, in terms of both volume and growth. It will likely provide a boost going into the final stretch of the year.
According to data from the KBA, July was the strongest volume month in the quarter. In total, 603,736 cars were sold, a 1.9% rise compared to July 2024.
However, August’s 4.4% drop illustrated the country’s automotive struggles. The 514,422 transactions also marked a low point in the year and were down 23,892 units on the same month last year.
September provided a rebound, with 560,399 sales helping towards a 5.6% improvement in volumes. The 29,594-unit growth helped to eliminate the deficit from August.
The result meant that between January and September, 4,952,038 used cars changed hands. This was a 0.5% improvement compared to the same period last year. This stability was mirrored in the country’s new-car market, which experienced a small 0.3% decline in the same nine months.
France finds stability in used-car market
Like Germany, the French used-car market is in a precarious position. However, recent results suggest the market could have a better end to 2025.
According to AAA Data, 1,319,676 used-car transactions took place between July and September. This was a 0.6% improvement on the same period in 2024.
The third quarter is historically the lowest-volume quarter of the year, incorporating the slower summer month of August. Yet the performance provided some positivity for the country’s struggling automotive market.
July was the worst-performing month of the period, with 489,174 transactions equating to a 3.2% decline year on year. This was the second-worst monthly performance of 2025, after June, with a loss of 16,350 units year on year. However, August saw the market stabilise with a 0.2% improvement and 373,988 sales.
September helped pull the used-car sector back into growth for the quarter. Volumes rose by 5.3% thanks to 456,514 transactions. This was a difference of 22,810 units, helping to overcome July’s deficit.
New-car registrations fell by 1.8% in the third quarter, the smallest quarterly decline of the year. Having endured a run of poor results, both August and September saw the country’s market return to growth.
Across the first three quarters of 2025, the French used-car sector was up by 0.8%, with 4,036,917 transactions taking place.
Ageing used-car sector
AAA Data attributes the strong September performance to a rise in the popularity of models over 10 years of age. Transactions in this age group were up by 11%, according to the association.
This partially covers the shortage of younger used cars. The supply of newer models has been impacted by a struggling new-car market in four of the last five years.
This was highlighted in the July and August figures from AAA Data. Models less than five years old recorded declines of 15% and 8% respectively. Conversely, sales of cars over 10 years old were up 6% in July and 7% in August.
It is unlikely that supply will increase anytime soon. From January to September, the country’s new-car market dropped by 6.3%.
BEV acceleration but diesel dominates
Another trend in France is the acceleration of used BEV transactions. Transaction volumes of the powertrain improved by 27% in August, according to AAA Data.
This increased to a 44% rise in September. Its market share jumped to 4%, up by one percentage point month on month.
However, diesel still dominated France’s used-car sector. It captured44% of transactions in August, while petrol took a 40% market share.
In May, the French parliament voted to abolish low-emission zones. However, this is yet to be approved, with both houses of Parliament required to pass the law. In addition, it must also be validated by the Constitutional Council.
This may help the continued dominance of petrol and diesel models. With no requirement to switch to a low, or zero-emission model for urban driving, buyers have more freedom of choice. This means less incentive to switch to a more environmentally-friendly model.
While it waits for a potential incentive boost, Italy’s electric vehicle (EV) market is struggling. Registrations are up, but volumes are low, and the situation is impacting the wider market. Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the latest data.
Italy’s new-car market remained stable in October, according to industry association ANFIA. Registrations were down by 0.5% in the month, with 125,961 passenger cars delivered. This equates to a drop of just 638 units compared to October 2024.
The deficit would have been larger if not for the performance of EVs. Made up of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), these powertrains helped push Italy’s registration figures close to the black. Without them, the overall market would have suffered a 5.7% decline.
Reliance not an option
With volumes remaining low compared to other markets, Italy cannot rely on EV uptake to bring the new-car sector forward. Pending incentives may change the landscape, but could arrive too late to improve the yearly performance.
The country’s passenger car market has struggled this year. Just March, April and September have recorded growth so far across 2025. This has kept year-to-date figures down against 2024, with a devastating decline in June having a serious impact.
Since then, the market has been trying to rebalance its annual volumes. Despite the decline, October’s deliveries did help reduce the gap. Italy’s new-car sector was down 2.6% year on year between January and October. In total, 1,293,967 units made their way to customers. This was 0.3 percentage points (pp) better than September’s year-to-date decline of 2.9%.
The country continues to lag behind pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. Spain’s October figures were above 2019 volumes, and the UK is expecting 2025 numbers to register an improvement. Italy remains far behind, however.
Last month’s totals were 20% down on October 2019, while in the first 10 months of this year, volumes are 20.4% lower, according to ANFIA.
Italy’s powertrain problem
Like other major European markets, Italy is seeing struggles with petrol and diesel registrations. However, the country has recorded a slower decline in diesel registrations. But as carmakers move away from the technology, and supply to the new-car market has dropped, so too has diesel.
Petrol registrations have also been in freefall this year, across all major European new-car markets, including Italy. But while internal-combustion engine (ICE) sales have dropped, Italy has been unable to replace them with EV volumes.
Both Spain and the UK, the two best-performing overall markets so far this year, have seen similar ICE struggles. However, their plug-in registration growth has exceeded ICE losses. Meanwhile, Germany has used hybrids to help offset the petrol and diesel decline.
While Italy’s EV numbers are up year on year, they are still low across the first 10 months of 2025. Often on par with Spain, this year Italy looks to be the worst-performing of the European big five.
Italy waits for incentives
Part of the problem comes down to incentives. While Spain’s MOVES III subsidy programme is still mostly active, Italy’s discounting plan has been surrounded by uncertainty.
Announced by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) in August, the application portal opened on 22 October. This was too late to affect the month’s numbers.
The scheme has seen €600 million set aside for new BEV purchases. Private individuals could receive up to €11,000 depending on income. A Euro 5 ICE model also needed to be scrapped. Small businesses could receive up to €20,000 per vehicle.
The long wait between the subsidy’s announcement and its implementation may have caused buyers to pause before purchasing. Additionally, applications must be made before the vehicle is bought. This means that, depending on delivery times, registration results may not be forthcoming.
But there appeared to be an appetite for the incentives. All of the scheme’s funds were accounted for roughly 24 hours after it went live, with 55,680,000 vouchers generated.
There have also been issues with the application platform itself. ‘Unfortunately, despite the time that had passed between the announcement and its actual usability, a robust platform was not implemented, which instead generated considerable confusion, especially among dealers,’ commented Roberto Vavassori, president of ANFIA.
‘Working with other automotive associations, we reported the situation to the Ministry, and after a temporary shutdown, the tool’s functionality was only reactivated at midday on 31 October.’
BEVs not proving popular
While BEV growth was impressive in Italy during October, the volume itself was not. Registrations of all-electric models were up 24.9% compared to the same month last year. However, this equated to just 6,280 units, a rise of 1,250 deliveries.
This meant BEVs took 5% of the total registrations tally in the month, up 1pp compared to October 2024. However, this is the lowest market share of all powertrains, including the ‘others’ category.
Between January and October, BEV registrations were up 26.5%. With a total of 67,335 units, this equated to a rise of 14,087 deliveries. The powertrain secured 5.2% of the market in the first 10 months of 2025, up 1.2pp, but remains the lowest of all powertrains.
The figures suggest a growing appetite for BEVs. However, the results of Italy’s incentive programme cannot come soon enough for the market.
Phenomenal PHEVs not enough
While BEV registrations are increasing, PHEVs continue to be the most popular EV powertrain. In October, deliveries were up 112.1% compared to the same month last year. In total, 9,086 units made it to Italian roads, up by 4,802 deliveries.
Yet despite this growth, the technology’s market share remains in single digits. Last month, this jumped by 3.8pp to 7.2%.
Over the first 10 months of 2025, PHEVs have impressed. Deliveries are up 76.5%, with 77,957 units finding their way to customers. Although this equated to a relatively small market share of 6%, it did signal a year-on-year increase of 2.7pp.
Combined, the EV market saw growth of 65% in October, thanks to the impressive PHEV performance. In total, 15,366 models were delivered, a difference of 6,052 units year on year.
This equated to just 12.2% of the monthly total, highlighting the struggle EVs are facing. While this marked a 4.8pp jump, it was the lowest plug-in share out of the big five European markets. Compared to Spain, the most similar in terms of volumes over recent years, Italy’s EV market was 10.2pp lower in the month.
Between January and October, 145,292 EVs were registered, a 49.1% increase. This gave the powertrain group an 11.2% hold of total volumes, up 3.9pp year on year.
ICE pulls Italy down
Petrol’s slide continued in October. In total, 28,998 units were registered in the month, a decline of 17.2%. The fuel type remains Italy’s second-most popular powertrain, with a 23% market share. This was down by 4.7pp compared to the same month last year, however.
Petrol has lost volume in every month of 2025 so far. This means its 325,627-unit total in the first 10 months was 16.9% down. It has managed to retain over a quarter of the market, however, with its 25.2% share down by 4.3pp.
Meanwhile, diesel suffered a dramatic 29.3% drop in October, although this still allowed for a five-figure result. In total, 11,745 units left forecourts, a decline of 4,857 units. Its 9.3% market share was enough to easily beat both EV powertrains, despite a 3.8pp fall year on year.
Between January and October, diesel saw a 31.4% decline in volumes to 127,401 units. While down 4.2pp, its 9.8% market share was still more than those of BEVs and PHEVs.
Combined, the ICE market dropped 21.1% in October, with 40,743 registrations. This was a deficit of 10,879 units, a figure that could not be overturned by the extra 6,052 EV deliveries. ICE models held 32.3% of the market, down by 8.5pp.
Over the first 10 months of 2025, ICE deliveries fell 21.6%, with 453,028 registrations. This was down by 124,485 units, while the technology’s market share fell 8.5pp, to 35%.
Italy’s hybrid help
While EV registrations were low and ICE deliveries dropped, hybrid volumes, including full and mild-hybrids, continued to lead.
In October, 57,629 hybrid models took to Italian roads, an increase of 6.4%. The technology was the most dominant in the country, with a 45.8% share of the market. This grew by 3pp compared to October 2024.
While this growth was lower than that of BEVs and PHEVs, it is compared to the high volumes achieved last year. Over the first 10 months of the year, hybrids recorded 575,460 deliveries, a rise of 8.9%. Its 44.5% market share increased by 4.7pp year on year.
Adding hybrids into the EV mix, registrations of electrified vehicles saw growth of 15% in October, with 72,995 deliveries. However, the 9,517-unit improvement was still not enough to overcome the 10,879-unit loss that the ICE market endured. The technology’s dominance continued to grow, however, with a 58% market share up 7.9pp.
Despite a 94,889-unit improvement and 15.2% year-on-year growth, electrified models have been unable to prevent Italy’s year-to-date slide. The powertrain group saw 720,752 units delivered in the period, equating to 55.7% of the market. This was a jump of 8.6pp compared to the same period in 2024.
On the gas
Adding to the pressure on EV performance, Italy’s ‘others’ category, made up of liquified petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG) and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, outperformed both PHEVs and BEVs in October.
The category saw 12,223 registrations in the month, with a 6.3% year-on-year improvement. This gave the powertrain group a 9.7% share of the delivery total, up 0.6pp.
From January to October, the category delivered 120,187 new models to customers. This was a drop of 4.4%, after a rollercoaster year. But its 9.3% share, while down 0.2pp, is still more than that of the two plug-in powertrains.
September marked a third consecutive month of growth for the EU new-car market, with just three nations recording registration declines. However, as the end of the year approaches, is the overall picture as good as it seems? Autovista24 web editor James Roberts finds out.
A total of 888,672 new cars were delivered across the EU in September, according to the latest figures from ACEA. This equated to a year-on-year growth of 10% for the region.
This marked the third consecutive month of growth for the bloc, with an increase of 80,763 units, compared with September 2024. It also signalled the largest year-on-year percentage increase of the year so far. However, the month’s volume result was still lower than in March, June, May, April, and July.
Of the 27 EU nations, an impressive 24 recorded new-car market growth in September. Bulgaria registered the largest absolute registration increase, up 51.6% year on year. Estonia continued to see the greatest monthly fall, hitting a decline of 44.5%.
Looking at the EU’s largest markets, all four ended September positively. Spain continued to be the stand-out performer with a 16.4% gain, while Germany also enjoyed double-digit increases at 12.8%. Following a year of stagnation, Italy signalled a 4.2% boost, while France dipped into the black with a 1% year-on-year improvement.
Fall for Germany in year to date
Assessing new-car registrations across the first three quarters of the year, the EU recorded growth of 0.9%, reaching 8,057,335 deliveries. On a country level, Spain basked in a 14.8% new-car registrations upswing in the nine months. This was the result of a boost in electric vehicle (EV) sales. However, it was not all good news for all the major markets.
Despite recent improvements, Germany, the EU’s largest new-car market, saw a marginal decline of 0.3%. Italy’s new-car market malaise weighed its market down 2.9%. Meanwhile, France continued to lag by 6.3% compared with the first nine months of 2024.
EVs enjoy September boost
Across the EU, EVs, consisting of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), captured 29.1% of the overall market in September. This meant a year-on-year increase of 5 percentage points (pp). The 258,734 units registered marked the second-highest volume so far this year.
Spanning the first nine months of the year, EVs accounted for just over a quarter of all EU new-car sales. In total, 2,023,102 vehicles took to the region’s roads. This equated to a 25.1% share, 5.1pp up on the same period in 2024.
Breaking down the overall EV volumes, 167,586 new BEVs reached EU customers in September. This ensured an 18.9% market share, up 1.6pp year on year.
Compared with the first nine months of 2025, the BEV share stood at 16.1%, underlining a 3pp year-on-year climb. This was thanks to 1,300,188 all-electric units registered. Despite these gains, ACEA outlined that EV adoption remains below the pace required at this stage of the transition.
Across the 27 EU member states, 21 witnessed year-on-year BEV registration gains. Spain, Germany, and Italy all enjoyed strong growth in BEV deliveries. Between January and September, Germany led the charge with 383,202 units, etching out a 38.3% year-on-year increase.
A smaller volume of 72,062 and an 89.6% share ensured Spain continued to see BEV growth. This amounted to an 89.6% upswing. Italy shifted 61,055 new BEVs across the period, ensuring a 26.6% increase. In contrast, France slipped slightly by 0.2%, despite posting an 11.2% year-on-year increase in September 2025.
Poland’s BEV growth continues
What about markets where BEVs command a leading market share? In the year to date, Belgium and the Netherlands saw BEV registration growth of 12.4% and 3.9%, respectively. Portugal also kept up its notable BEV adoption trend with a 26.3% gain.
EV sales in Poland continued to soar as well. A third month of triple-digit BEV increases culminated in a 195.6% year-on-year boost in September. In the year to date, all-electric car sales were up by 106.7%. PHEVs have also seen success, with deliveries up by 160.6% in September and 96.9% in the year to date.
Significant EV adoption is reflected in the opening nine months of 2025. Longer-term triple-digit increases of BEV and PHEV registrations have been enabled by Poland’s NaszEauto incentives programme. It offers incentives, such as tax relief and scrappage rewards for older internal-combustion engine (ICE) cars, encouraging the EV shift.
EU PHEVs edge up
PHEVs accounted for 10.3% of the EU new-car market in September, a 3.5pp rise year on year. This was underpinned by a year-on-year upswing of 65.4%, amounting to 30,8037 vehicles.
Between January and September, 722,914 new PHEVs joined the EU car parc. This marked a 31.1% year-on-year ascent, ensuring the powertrain captured 9% of the overall market. This forged a 2.1pp increase, continuing a trend established from March onwards.
Of the EU member states, two of the three Baltic States continued to stand out. In September, Latvia saw a 206.7% year-on-year leap in PHEV registrations. This reflects the country’s PHEV adoption, with registration up 363.8% across the first nine months of the year. Despite the nation’s small market volume, this equated to a noticeable leap from 447 units to 2,073.
Similarly, neighbouring Lithuania’s PHEV growth has regularly hit triple digits this year. September saw 431 PHEVs join the nation’s roads, a 156.5% boost. This is underpinned by a 170.7% upswing across the first nine months of the year.
Hybrids remain strong for now
Hybrids, including both mild and full versions, remained top of the pile across the EU in September. Seen by many as a gateway to full electrification, the powertrain captured 34.7% of the EU new-car market, with 308,037 units reaching customers.
Of the 27 EU member states, 23 saw year-on-year hybrid registration figures grow. The enduring popularity of hybrid vehicles is underlined by the market share increasing 1.8pp year on year.
Across the first eight months of 2025, hybrids commanded 34.7% of the overall EU new-car market, a 4.6pp year-on-year gain. However, this share has been dipping since March this year. This could suggest that the tide is turning towards BEV and PHEV purchases, albeit gradually.
This performance helped drive electrified registrations. Nearly 60% of all new-car registrations were a hybrid, BEV or PHEV in the first nine months of 2025. This meant electrified sales totalled 4,816,181 units, a 20.4% increase year on year.
Petrol and diesel falling but resilient
New ICE registrations continued to decline across the EU in September. However, the powertrain category’s overall market share remained prominent at 33%.
Petrol car registrations fell by 18.7% between January and September, with 22 markets recording declines. 2,234,058 new petrol cars were registered, reducing the fuel’s market share to 27.7%, down from 34.4% during the same period last year.
France saw one of the sharpest drops at 32.8%, followed by Germany, down 23.5%. Italy’s petrol deliveries slumped 16.6%, and Spain’s registrations of the fuel type dropped by 13.2%. Of the five EU member states to register petrol registration gains, Latvia saw the highest growth at 32.6%.
In the year to date, the diesel segment fell by 24.7%, bringing its share to 9.3%, down 3.1pp year on year. Notable declines occurred in Estonia, down 63.7%, with Greece sliding 55.6%. Of the larger markets, Germany witnessed diesel deliveries drop by 18.9%.
Three quarters into 2025, combined petrol and diesel registrations accounted for 37% of the EU new-car market, equating to a 9.8pp dive. Despite this sizeable drop, the ICE market share has fluctuated just 2.4pp since January. This is fuelling concerns that despite EV growth, the resilience of ICE is slowing the move towards zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).
What are the major themes from the Fleet Europe Days event? Could a new semiconductor crisis be brewing? How long did Italian electric vehicle (EV) incentive funding last? Tom Geggus, editor of Autovista24, discusses the week’s news in The Automotive Update podcast.
In this episode, Autovista24 journalist Tom Hooker discusses his time at one of Europe’s biggest fleet events. Then, as the industry prepares for a potential semiconductor crisis, the importance of Nexperia chips becomes apparent. Finally, understanding the popularity of EV incentives in Italy.
Fleet Europe Days took place in Luxembourg this week. It included a thought-leadership conference, exhibitor displays and the opportunity to test drive vehicles.
There were 84 exhibitors over the two-day event, including carmakers, fleet, leasing and rental companies, technology start-ups and giants, EV charging providers and more. Many of these companies were also involved in the conference area, discussing key automotive trends.
Two big topics covered were AI and software. One remarketing presentation focused on vehicle inspections and how the process can be automated with AI to improve processing speed. Another showed how an automated fleet workflow system can be integrated into an auction platform.
Other themes included sustainability and ESG, distribution models and gender diversity. Overall, the conference highlighted how complex the automotive industry is becoming. This makes it crucial for those within the sector to understand it from all angles.
A semiconductor crisis for Europe?
Several carmakers have highlighted concerns with vehicle production due to a disrupted supply of semiconductors from Nexperia.
Volvo, Volkswagen, Honda and Nissan have all discussed the possibility of temporary production pauses, the Guardian has reported. This follows the Dutch government taking control of the Chinese-owned chip company last week.
Hildegard Müller, president of the VDA, recognised Nexperia as a major supplier of semiconductors. These components are used in electronic control units for vehicle electronics systems, alongside other relevant industries.
‘The situation could soon lead to significant production restrictions, or even a stop in production, if the interruption of Nexperia chip deliveries cannot be resolved in the short term,’ she commented.
Italy’s new incentive scheme
This week, the Italian Government launched an incentive scheme to help boost zero-emission mobility in the country.
When scrapping an older internal-combustion vehicle up to the Euro 5 standard, private buyers could receive up to €11,000 towards the purchase of a new electric car. Meanwhile, small businesses were eligible for up to €20,000 off an electric light-commercial vehicle. This scheme was backed by €595 million, with some funds supplied from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
However, the funding lasted just over 24 hours before being exhausted. A total of 55,680,000 vouchers were generated, reserving all of the subsidy funds, according to the ANSA news agency. One reason for this quick depletion could be that applications had to be submitted before the new vehicle was purchased. However, any funds that become available again will be reactivated for new applications.
Editor’s note: article has been updated. According to ANSA, 55,680,000 vouchers were generated, not 55,680 as previously stated.
Which vehicles triumphed at this year’s Residual Value Awards? Can European used-car markets improve in 2026? Are automotive industry supply chains starting to strain? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus reviews the week’s headlines in The Automotive Update podcast.
In this episode, Autovista24 reveals the 2025 Residual Value Award winners. Then, as economic pressure builds, a new webinar explored the outlook for the European used-car market. Finally, a look at how concerns are building around semiconductor and rare earth metal supply chains.
The winners of the 2025 Residual Value Awards were announced this week. Champions of the eight categories were calculated using Autovista Group analysis and insights, powered by data from across 17 markets.
German premium brands performed especially well this year, with many marques from the country collecting awards.
BMW Group took home three titles, with two awarded to Mini models and one to a car from BMW. Mercedes-Benz celebrated two wins, while Audi and Porsche were victorious in one category each. The only non-German carmaker to enjoy success was Dacia.
The panel discussed Europe’s uncertain economic environment. Inflation is rising due to geopolitical tensions and conflicts, while the consumer price index is still increasing.
This environment has negatively impacted the automotive industry. Stagnating economies have triggered affordability issues and reduced investment. Ongoing tariff negotiations have also caused delays in investment and supply.
Meanwhile, a massive electric vehicle (EV) push is putting pressure on manufacturers to become more profitable.
Pressure on residual values (RVs), expressed as a percentage of the new-car list price (%RVs), are forecast to persist across Europe’s major used-car markets. In most of these locations, 36-month-old cars are expected to suffer up to a 1.5% fall in %RVs by the end of 2026.
However, these declines would represent a slowdown compared to this year, where %RVs have fallen at a sharper rate.
Passenger cars aged 36 months or older are expected to be affected more than younger vehicles. This matches 2025 trends, where market pressure on three-to-four-year-old models continued to build.
Looking at EV powertrains, the RVs of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are still struggling. Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are performing much better.
European supply chain in crisis?
Automotive industry bodies have raised concerns over supply chains. ACEA highlighted the potential problems that could arise from an interruption of Nexperia semiconductor provisions. Without them, European vehicle suppliers could see production grind to a halt.
The industry has access to the same chips from other suppliers. However, homologating new suppliers for specific components and building up production could take several months, ACEA said. Current stocks of Nexperia chips are only expected to last for a few weeks.
Elsewhere, ANFIA flagged fears over rare earth metal exports from China, as reported by Reuters. The industry body said that restrictions on these materials could have a big impact on the European automotive industry.
As plug-in hybrid (PHEV) deliveries continue to soar, Tesla is quietly running away with Europe’s best-selling battery-electric vehicle (BEV) title. But is it too late for domestic rivals to catch up? Tom Hooker, Autovista24 journalist, analyses the data from EV Volumes.
The latest data from EV Volumes shows that the European PHEV market grew by 53.9% year on year in August. This equated to 82,308 new units featuring the technology hitting the roads.
This was an improvement on July’s result, which itself was the best volume improvement since June 2021. The result marked a sixth month of consecutive double-digit improvement, highlighting the powertrain’s growing appeal.
Meanwhile, 158,225 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) were delivered in the month. This equated to a 24.6% jump in sales, as its streak of double-digit increases extended. All-electric model deliveries have seen volume growth every month so far in 2025.
These unwavering performances meant BEVs saw a larger cumulative improvement than PHEVs between January and July. Yet, August proved to be a turning point. PHEV volumes rose by 28.3% in the first eight months of the year, with 789,268 units. Meanwhile, BEVs managed a 25.8% increase. However, it retained the greater volume, with 1,544,223 deliveries in the period.
Combining the two powertrains, electric vehicle (EV) deliveries soared by 33.3% in August, to 240,533 units. In the first eight months of the year, 2,333,491 new EVs took to European roads, marking a 26.7% increase.
BEVs continued to make up the majority of EV deliveries, but their grip loosened slightly compared to one year prior. The technology accounted for 65.8% of overall EV deliveries in August, down 4.6 percentage points (pp) compared to August 2024. The smaller drop occurred in the cumulative figures, with its share dropping from 66.6% to 66.2%.
Tesla extends lead
This year has been a rollercoaster for the Tesla Model Y. Looking at Europe’s BEV best-sellers table, the crossover has either finished first or ninth since February.
This can be partially explained by its quarterly delivery cycle. The model’s two highest volume months came in March and June. However, at the start of the following quarter, the BEV dropped down the table. It then gained momentum again in the following month. The Model Y continued this trend by topping the table in August, after a disappointing July.
The crossover recorded 8,451 sales to take its fifth win of the year, 2,191 units ahead of its nearest competitor. However, it was not all good news for the Tesla Model Y. Its volumes dropped by 37.3% compared to one year prior. In turn, its market share halved compared with August 2024, down to 5.3%.
Skoda Elroq remains popular
July’s best-selling BEV, the Skoda Elroq, secured second in its 10th month of sales. The model’s 6,260 delivery total translated to a 4% market share. After entering the top 10 for the first time in April, it has only placed in the first three positions.
Behind was the Tesla Model 3, making its fourth top-three appearance in 2025. Its deliveries rose by 9.9% to 6,177 units. The sedan captured 3.9% of BEV volumes, down 0.5pp year on year. The US model has also had a rollercoaster ride across the first eight months of 2025. It has only placed in the top 10 on four occasions.
Volkswagen’s (VW) ID.3 finished fourth, with 5,554 units, up 58.8% compared to August 2024. The hatchback has maintained consistent deliveries throughout 2025, with monthly volumes ranging between 5,399 units and 6,932 units. However, its positions have been mixed.
BMW’s good form continues
After enjoying a year-best result of fourth in July, the BMW iX1 continued to prove a popular choice, placing fifth in August. The SUV recorded 4,966 sales, up 33% compared with 12 months ago. The model saw its share grow from 2.9% to 3.1%.
In the shadow of its younger sibling, the Skoda Enyaq took sixth. It sat just 15 units behind the BMW iX1 with 4,951 deliveries. This represented a decline of 20.4% year on year and was its lowest volume month of 2025 so far. Its share subsequently fell by 1.8pp to 3.1%.
Conversely, the VW ID.4 in seventh saw deliveries grow by 18.3%. However, its 4,786-unit total was also the crossover’s lowest monthly volume of 2025. Due to increased competition, its market share also dropped by 0.2pp to 3%.
In eighth place, with a combined total of 4,678 units, was the Renault 5 and Alpine A290. This equated to a market share of 3%. The Kia EV3 placed ninth, with 4,253 units in its 11th month on the market. The model accounted for 2.7% of overall BEV volumes. Apart from June, it has featured in every monthly top 10 table so far this year.
The VW ID.7 took 10th, its lowest finishing position across the first eight months of 2025. It also recorded its lowest monthly delivery figure of the year, with 4,131 units. Yet, this was still a considerable improvement from 12 months prior, equating to a 46.6% uptick in sales. The ID.7 made up 2.6% of the market, up 0.4pp.
Can Tesla hold on?
After its victory in August, the Tesla Model Y extended its lead in the yearly chart. It looks set to become Europe’s best-selling BEV this year.
The crossover has seen 83,194 deliveries across the first eight months of the year. A gap of 32,569 units now separates it from its nearest competitor, as it claims a market share of 5.4%. It seems highly unlikely that the Tesla Model Y could be caught by the end of the year.
The model’s closest rivals have struggled to cross the 10,000-unit threshold in any month this year. The only other BEV to achieve this feat is the Tesla Model 3.
In the Model Y’s lowest volume month in April, it still managed 4,568 deliveries. If the crossover were to replicate this result until December, its competitors would still need a significant increase in volumes to mount a challenge.
Seven-way BEV battle
The battle for second remains hotly contested, with 8,320 units separating the runner-up spot from 10th place. The VW ID.4 held second, with 50,625 deliveries and a 3.3 % market share.
Its sibling, the ID.3, sat just 682 units behind. It moved up one place from July’s cumulative standings, with 49,943 sales. The hatchback, as well as the next four positions, all held a 3.2% share of BEV volumes at the end of August.
The Skoda Enyaq remained in fourth with 49,748 units, while the combined total of the Renault 5 and Alpine A290 fell two spots to fifth with 49,554 deliveries.
The Tesla Model 3 moved up from seventh in July, recording 49,524 deliveries across the first eight months of 2025. This is a promising move ahead of another quarterly-reporting period.
Another BEV that made ground was the Skoda Elroq. Thanks to another strong month, the SUV moved up one place, posting 48,678 units. This came at the expense of the VW ID.7, after a disappointing August. Its total of 47,693 deliveries translated to a 3.1% market share.
The Kia EV3 came ninth, accounting for 2.9% of overall BEV volumes with 44,560 sales. The BMW iX1 closed out the top 10, posting 42,305 deliveries and a 2.7% share.
Three in a row for VW
In Europe’s PHEV market, the VW Tiguan has now recorded three monthly victories in a row. This follows its first ascent to the top in June. August, however, was its most emphatic victory.
The SUV’s 4,010-unit total represented a 275.5% year on year increase. Its share also soared from a 2% share to 4.9%.
The Tiguan led its nearest competitor, the Volvo XC60, by 667 deliveries. The second-place SUV achieved a 27.7% improvement in volumes during August, with 3,343 units. However, as the PHEV market has become even more crowded, the XC60 saw its share drop by 0.8pp to 4.1%.
Third went to the BYD Seal U, with 3,253 units. The PHEV continues to impress, after a slow start to deliveries in 2024. It took a 4% market share, up 3.5pp year on year. The Ford Kuga finished fourth, replicating its July result. It posted 3,195 sales, up 11.1% on August 2024. However, the model’s market share fell from 5.4% to 3.9%.
MG deliveries surge
In fifth was the MG eHS, repeating its best finish of the year in July. The SUV’s 2,943-unit total represented an 819.7% surge in deliveries. Consequently, it captured 3.6% of overall volumes, up 3pp from 12 months prior.
The BMW X1 trailed the MG eHS by just 14 units in sixth. It recorded 2,929 deliveries, equating to a 2.4% growth year on year. Yet, its market share dropped by 1.7pp to 3.6%.
The Toyota RAV4 followed in seventh, thanks to 2,811 deliveries in August. This marked a surge of 160.5% compared to one year prior. It made up 3.4% of the PHEV total, up from 2%.
Eighth went to the Mercedes-Benz GLC, its lowest finishing position since March. Its deliveries fell by 5% compared to August 2024, with 2,577 units. Meanwhile, the model’s market share dropped by 2pp to 3.1%.
The BMW X3 made its first monthly top 10 appearance this year in ninth. This was thanks to 2,318 sales, a significant improvement of 318.4%. Unsurprisingly, its market share grew by 1.8pp to 2.8%.
Rounding out the top 10 in August was the Hyundai Tucson, its fourth foray into the table in the first eight months of 2025. The PHEV posted 2,176 deliveries, denoting a 68.6% uptick in volumes. This translated to a 2.6% market share, up by 0.2pp compared to 12 months prior.
Interestingly, all these models fit into the C and D-Segment SUV category, compared to six SUVs in the BEV top 10. However, these models could face restrictions in cities such as Cardiff in the future. Higher parking charges may be applied to vehicles over a certain weight, as reported by the BBC.
Tiguan inches ahead
Europe’s PHEV market continued to be dominated by three SUVs. The VW Tiguan, Volvo XC60 and BYD Seal U have placed in the top three every month since April. A total of 3,251 units separate the models, meaning changes could occur by the end of the year.
The VW Tiguan continued to lead the pack, with 38,962 units from January to August and 4.9% market share. It has been a consistent performer, with a worst finish of fourth in March.
Volvo’s XC60 has been even more consistent in second, with no finish outside the top three in any month of 2025. It posted 36,757 units after eight months of the year, equating to a 4.7% share.
Chasing both SUVs down is the BYD Seal U, even after a slow start to the year. However, it has remained inside the top three since March. The PHEV recorded 35,711 units between January and August, capturing 4.5% of overall volumes.
Ford falls out of touch
Once in the hunt for the lead, the Ford Kuga now appears out of touch, thanks to average performances in April, May and June. The SUV’s 30,203-unit total gave it a 3.8% share, placing it in fourth. Behind was the BMW X1, representing 3.4% of overall PHEV figures with 26,863 units.
In sixth was the Toyota C-HR, thanks to 23,580 deliveries and a 3% share. The Mercedes-Benz GLC accounted for 2.8% of total volumes in seventh, posting 21,748 deliveries. Then came the MG eHS, just 144 units behind. The PHEV saw 21,604 models handed over to customers in the first eight months of the year, giving it a 2.7% share.
Cupra’s Formentor remained in ninth, with 19,673 sales and a 2.5% market share. The BMW 5-Series captured 2.4% of PHEV volumes in 10th, posting 18,840 units.
Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) incentives in France seem to be helping the country’s overall new-car market. However, while these registrations bounce back, petrol volumes continue to plummet. Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the figures.
Following its first positive result of the year in August, the French new-car market managed another improvement in September.
According to Autovista24 calculations of data published by PFA, the market saw year-on-year growth of 0.8% last month. This equates to 140,100 models taking to the country’s roads, up by 1,098 units.
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September 2025 featured one more working day compared to the same month last year. This helped the new-car market continue its growth streak. According to PFA, adjusted for working days, registrations would have dipped by 3.6%.
The result means that the year-to-date deficit the French new-car market has built up across 2025 has lessened. Between January and September, 1,186,521 units have been delivered to customers, a drop of 6.3%, based on Autovista24 calculations.
Hope ahead?
With a new BEV incentive programme in place, and additional financial boosts starting at the end of September and early October, the country could see this growth streak continue. However, electrified vehicle results must stay strong to offset the ongoing sharp decline in internal-combustion engine (ICE) registrations.
The market share of petrol registrations in September hit a new low, continuing a trend that is shared across Europe. Once the dominant force, petrol has struggled to gain traction this year, with heavy losses each month of 2025.
‘The new electric bonus formula (CEE bonus) for individuals is already showing positive results, with an additional bonus of €1,000 being awarded from 1 October for models assembled in the EU and equipped with a battery manufactured in the European Economic Area,’ commented Marie-Laure Nivot, head of automotive market analysis at AAA Data.
‘The start of electric leasing on 30 September should also give a temporary boost to electric registrations. However, it is now fleets that are driving electric registrations, with major effects expected within three years on the used-car market,’ she added.
BEV registrations bounce
BEVs continued their strong run in September. Registrations were up 11.2% in the month. In total, 31,439 units were delivered, according to Autovista24 calculations.
The result led to a record market share for the technology. BEVs held 22.4% of the total market volume in the month, up by 2.1 percentage points (pp) compared to September 2024.
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This was the third consecutive month of double-digit improvement. Furthermore, it was only the fourth time in 2025 that all-electric powertrains registered a year-on-year upswing. This means that the year-to-date figures continued to claw back the deficit built up earlier in the year.
Between January and September, 216,311 BEVs were registered, a 0.2% decline, equating to just 530 fewer models. Despite this slight drop, the powertrain’s market share improved thanks to the misfortune of others. The technology held 18.2% of the total year-to-date volume at the end of the month, up 1.1pp.
Further incentives
The BEV market could look forward to further growth in the coming months. From 30 September, applications opened for the country’s social leasing plan. This is a long-term rental offer for electric cars with a cap of €200 per month. After three years, drivers must return the vehicle or pay the remaining cost based on its residual value.
The leasing plan is open to a minimum of 50,000 households in France. To be eligible, they must have a reference tax income per share of €16,300 or less. Applicants must also live more than 15km from their place of work. They must also use a personal car to commute, or conduct business travel of more than 8,000km annually.
In addition, the French government also announced a new addition to the country’s incentive plan. An extra €1,000 will be provided on top of the existing energy savings certificates (CEE) subsidies for a BEV. However, it must have been assembled in Europe. These models must also come equipped with a European-built battery.
‘The ecological transition is a lever for reindustrialisation. With this €1,000 increase in the ecological bonus, we are promoting electric vehicles whose batteries are produced in Europe and whose manufacturing emits fewer greenhouse gases,’ stated Agnès Pannier-Runacher, minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, Forests, the Sea and Fisheries.
‘It is a win-win measure for purchasing power, the climate and industry. It makes electric cars more accessible to French people, while supporting industry and employment,’ she added.
PHEV slump continues
While BEVs have enjoyed a boost, plug-in-hybrids (PHEVs) continued their slump in September. A total of 9,118 units were delivered, a drop of 9.5% year on year, based on Autovista24 analysis. This gave the technology a market share of 6.5%, down 0.8pp.
Following a run of double-digit declines across the first six months of the year, the third quarter saw some improvement. However, September’s result was the third-lowest drop in registration volume. This left PHEVs with a 26.8% fall in the year to date, as 72,537 models made their way to customers. The volume share of 6.1% underlines a 1.7pp drop against the first nine months of 2024.
Combining BEVs and PHEVs, the electric vehicle (EV) market improved by 5.8% in September, with 2,212 more models registered. The 40,557 registrations gave the technology a 28.9% market share, up 1.3pp. The result is the third time this year EVs have seen growth, and it is thanks to the BEV market.
In the first three quarters of 2025, EV deliveries were down 8.6%, with 27,099 fewer units on the road. However, their market share has only dropped 0.7pp in this period as 288,848 models reached customers.
Dominance from hybrids
The hybrid market, made up of both full and mild hybrid powertrains, led the way once again in France.
In total, 62,039 hybrids were registered in September, a 16.7% increase year on year, according to Autovista24 calculations. This gave the powertrain a commanding 44.3% market share in the month, up 6.1pp.
Spanning the first three quarters of 2025, hybrids prevailed as the dominant powertrain. In total, 531,166 units were delivered to customers, a rise of 28.7% compared to the same period in 2024. This was a 44.8% hold of total registration volume between January and September, up 12.2pp.
Combining EVs and hybrids, electrified powertrains saw growth of 12.1% in September, reaching 102,596 registrations. This meant 11,084 more electrified units taking to French roads. Their market share in this period was 73.2%, up 7.4pp, aided by hybrid and BEV totals.
In the year to date, electrified cars saw deliveries increase 12.5%, equating to 91,366 more units to 820,014 registrations. Their dominant share of 69.1% in the nine-month period was up by 11.5pp.
New low for ICE
Petrol registrations dropped to a record low in September. A total of 26,934 units were registered, according to Autovista24 calculations. This equated to a drop of 25.3% year on year. This was the smallest loss of volume so far in 2025. However, the powertrain’s market share of 19.2% is a new low, dipping below 20% for the first time.
The fuel type has been rapidly losing its share across 2025, after hitting 26.1% in January. Its performance in September marks the first time this year it has dropped to the third-best powertrain, after hybrids and BEVs.
This means that in the first nine months of 2025, petrol registrations declined by 32.8%, with 265,023 units delivered. This equates to 129,243 fewer units year on year. The 22.3% market share in this period was down 8.8pp.
Meanwhile, diesel deliveries in September declined 21.7%, with 6,311 units taking to French roads. This was a 4.5% hold of the overall registration volume, a drop of 1.3pp.
Between January and September, diesel saw a slide of 38.5%, with 58,906 models received by customers. They held a 5% share at the end of this period, a drop of 2.6pp.
Combining petrol and diesel figures, the ICE market dropped behind the EV sector for the second consecutive month. Registrations were down 24.6%, while market share dropped 8pp, to 23.7%.
With BEV deliveries expected to increase thanks to subsidies, this is a trend that could continue for the rest of the year. This would signal a significant shift in the French new-car market.
Between January and September, ICE registrations fell by 33.9%, with 166,314 fewer units delivered. This also meant an 11.4pp drop in market share, with 27.3% of the market, still ahead of EVs for now.
How have plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales fared in China? Is it too early to celebrate EU registrations growth? Plus, updates following the cyber-attack on JLR. Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the latest news in the Automotive Update podcast.
In this week’s episode, a look at China’s faltering PHEV registrations, as well as Europe’s booming electric vehicle (EV) sector. Additionally, an assessment of what a positive August meant for the EU new-car market, and what lies ahead for the cyber-attack-hit JLR and its suppliers?
China’s PHEV market suffered its worst year-on-year performance since June 2020. The latest data provided by EV Volumes showed powertrain sales grew by just 3.2%, compared with July 2024. This is the worst result since a 51.4% decline during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the first time this year, the BYD Seal 06 topped the monthly PHEV chart. In second place was the Aito M8. The model first saw sales recorded in China in April.
Meanwhile, the country’s battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sector recorded an improvement compared to July 2024, with an increase of 34.5%. The Geely Geome Xingyuan remained the standout BEV performer. It topped the chart once again by a considerable margin over the second-placed Tesla Model Y.
Europe’s EV market upswing
Europe’s PHEV market recorded its biggest monthly growth since June 2021, according to EV Volumes. Totals soared by 53.5% year-on-year in July. The performance continued a run of double-digit PHEV improvements that began in March, following two consecutive monthly declines.
BEVs continued their consistent improvement, with double-digit increases every month so far this year. Compared to 12 months prior, all-electric deliveries rose by 33% in July.
In the PHEV sector, Volkswagen (VW) led the way with the Tiguan topping the chart in July, for the second consecutive month. Second was the BYD Seal U, which has remained inside the top three since March.
The Skoda Elroq led Europe’s BEV market for the second time this year. The Czech marque locked out the top two positions, with the Enyaq in second.
Further growth for EU new-car market
EU new-car registrations rose 5.3% in August to 677,785 units, marking a second straight month of growth, according to the latest data from ACEA. However, year-to-date volumes remain down 0.1%, with 7,168,847 cars registered so far in 2025.
Of the larger markets, Spain continued to shine with a 17.2% gain, while Germany and France recorded single-digit improvements. Sales in Italy slipped by 2.7%, and despite positive returns in August, while France remains more than 7% behind on a year-to-date basis. Electrification drove much of August’s momentum, as electrified vehicles captured more than 62.2% of the market. Petrol and diesel registrations continued to fall.
Despite positive signs, industry group ACEA warns that EV uptake is still ‘below the pace needed’ to meet EU climate goals, making any celebrations premature.
JLR’s cyber-attack pain continues
Following a cyber-attack at the beginning of September, JLR has stated that it will continue its production pause until at least 1 October, according to Autocar.
The attack forced the carmaker to shut down its internal computer systems, resulting in production at all its global plants coming to a halt. This has also created issues with parts ordering, impacting suppliers and retailers.
According to the BBC, the stoppage is costing JLR around £50 million (€57.2 million) each week, and the UK government are considering financial support for impacted suppliers.
Yangwang’s new speed record
Yangwang, the luxury sub-brand of BYD, has set a new global production-car top-speed record of 496.2kph (308.4mph). The feat was achieved with Yangwang’s latest U9 Xtreme, an electric-powered hypercar.
‘This record was only possible because the U9 Xtreme simply has incredible performance,’ stated driver Marc Basseng. ‘Technically, something like this is not possible with a combustion engine.’
