EU Reaches Historic Milestone as Electric Vehicle Sales Surpass Petrol Cars

In December 2025, the European Union recorded a historic milestone as fully electric vehicles outsold cars powered by petrol engines for the first time. The development reflects a rapid transformation of the European automotive market driven by changing consumer preferences and expanding electric infrastructure.

A Historic Shift in the European Car Market

The milestone was reported by Reuters, citing data from the industrial group ACEA. According to the figures, demand for electric vehicles continued to grow at a pace that exceeded expectations, even as EU authorities discussed rolling back a planned ban on internal combustion engine vehicles.

Electric and Hybrid Registrations Surge

Data from ACEA show that in the final winter month, registrations of fully electric vehicles rose by 51 percent. Plug-in hybrids increased by 36.7 percent, while hybrid electric vehicles grew by 5.8 percent. Together, these categories accounted for 67 percent of all newly registered cars in the EU.

"Despite political uncertainty, the market trend is clear. It will take around five more years before electric vehicles fully replace internal combustion engine models in Europe,” said analyst Matthias Schmidt.

Overall Car Sales Continue to Grow

In December alone, total car sales in the EU rose by 5.8 percent, reaching nearly one million vehicles. On an annual basis, sales increased by 1.8 percent to 10.8 million cars, underscoring steady demand across the region.

A Different Picture in Russia

While Europe saw strong growth, the Russian market moved in the opposite direction. By the end of 2025, sales of new electric vehicles in Russia fell sharply. A total of 12,500 electric cars were registered during the year, representing a 30 percent decline compared to 2024, when 17,800 units were sold.