The global electric vehicle (EV) fleet has reached 56 million units, with China accounting for more than half of that total, according to a new study by Germany’s Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). The report underlines the growing dominance of Chinese automakers in the transition to electric mobility.
China, the world’s largest automotive market, is home to 31.4 million EVs — about 56% of the global total. The United States ranks second with 6.4 million, followed by Germany with 2.6 million. The United Kingdom and France each have around 2.1 million electric vehicles, while Norway, with one million EVs, continues to lead on a per capita basis.
The study also highlights a notable trend: new EV registrations are now significantly outpacing the growth of the global fleet. In recent years, the gap between newly registered vehicles and net fleet growth has widened to 3.7 million. This discrepancy is primarily attributed to decommissioning of older vehicles in China, which now has a maturing EV market.
Much of China’s EV momentum stems from its robust domestic manufacturing base. Local brands such as BYD, Nio, Xpeng, and the newly launched Xiaomi are intensifying competition in both domestic and overseas markets. Tesla, which remains the most valuable global EV brand, continues to face mounting challenges in China and beyond.
The ZSW data includes fully electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and models with range extenders. The study also factors in vehicles removed from service, offering a comprehensive picture of active fleet numbers.
Source: DPA International