China continues to lead global electric vehicle adoption, serving as the primary growth engine for the e-mobility sector, while Europe shows strong but uneven progress across markets, according to the latest Electromobility Report from the Centre of Automotive Management (CAM) in Germany. The United States, meanwhile, is experiencing slower growth, with market dynamics shifting increasingly in favour of Chinese automakers.
Between January and September 2025, around 12.8 million battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles were sold across China, Europe, and the United States — a 30% year-on-year increase. China accounted for nearly 8.9 million of these so-called New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), achieving a 52.4% market share.
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Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) dominated with 5.45 million units, while plug-in hybrids, including range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs), reached 3.44 million units. Domestic manufacturers such as BYD and Geely continue to dominate, with BYD holding 14.2% of China’s total auto market and 28.7% of NEV sales. Meanwhile, Volkswagen saw its NEV registrations in China fall by over 50%, holding only a 0.9% market share in the segment.
Europe remains the world’s second-largest EV market, registering 2.72 million BEVs and plug-in hybrids in the first three quarters — a 27.7% increase over the same period in 2024. However, growth varies sharply across countries. Germany led with 600,000 new registrations (up 46.6%), while the UK saw a 32% increase to 522,000. In contrast, France experienced a 9% decline due to stricter subsidy criteria, despite stable BEV demand. CAM Director Stefan Bratzel warned that “uneven development” and political debates over the 2035 combustion engine phase-out could hinder further growth.
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In the U.S., electric vehicle adoption remains comparatively modest. New registrations of BEVs and plug-in hybrids rose by only 8% to 1.22 million units, representing a 10% market share. The expiration of federal tax credits in October spurred a temporary sales surge in September, but analysts expect weaker demand in the final quarter under the new Trump administration.
Globally, Chinese manufacturers are expanding their dominance. BYD’s deliveries rose 37% to 1.61 million vehicles, with BEVs making up 56% of total sales. Geely reported a 90% surge in BEV deliveries to 943,000 units. Tesla saw a 5.9% decline to 1.22 million vehicles, while Volkswagen increased its global EV sales by 42% to 717,500 units. BMW’s BEV sales grew 10% to 323,000, and Mercedes-Benz recorded a slight 1% decline to 118,000 units.
Source: Electrive
