Global EV sales surge tenfold in six years, China and Europe lead charge

The global electric vehicle (EV) market is experiencing explosive growth, far exceeding earlier projections. Sales have multiplied tenfold over the past six years, with approximately 21 million electric cars sold worldwide in 2025. In 2019, EVs represented a mere 1% of new car sales globally, a figure that dramatically rose to 25% by 2025 and an astonishing 63% by May 2026. Globally, 85 million of the 1.4 billion cars on the road are now electric.

China is at the forefront of this electric mobility revolution. The nation's sustained investment in renewable energy sources like solar and wind, coupled with significant advancements in battery technology, has been pivotal. Mass production and cutting-edge research have slashed electric car battery costs to just a quarter of their price a decade ago, with prices continuing to decline. As the world's largest car market, China offers consumers the advantages of its government's industrial strategy: EVs have been cheaper than combustion engine cars since 2024, charging infrastructure has expanded rapidly, and electricity remains affordable.

Europe is also embracing electric vehicles, with nearly one in three new cars sold being an EV by April 2026, up from just 1% in 2018. Northern Europe leads this trend, with Norway at 99% and Denmark at 82% of new car sales being electric. Governments across the region actively support climate-friendly transportation and are enhancing charging networks. The UK, Germany, and France have also seen significant growth, with EV sales doubling year-on-year in April 2026.

In contrast, the US market has shown stagnation. Between 2023 and 2025, EVs hovered around 10% of new car registrations. By April 2026, this share had fallen to below 6%, indicating a significant slowdown compared to other major markets. This divergence highlights varying national strategies and consumer adoption rates in the global shift towards electric mobility.