Hybrid cars top choice for consumers in Europe in 2025, shows data
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A hybrid car by Chinese maker BYD charging at a dealership in Paris. BYD tripled its sales in the European Union in 2025, albeit from a small base.
PHOTO: AFP
- Hybrid-electric vehicles led EU car sales in 2025, with 34.5 per cent of the market, surpassing petrol cars at 26.6 per cent.
- Battery-electric vehicle sales rose 30 per cent, accounting for 17.4 per cent of sales, though further growth is needed.
- Volkswagen Group sales rose, while Stellantis fell; BYD tripled sales, but Tesla's declined due to reputational issues.
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PARIS – Hybrid-electric vehicles dethroned purely petrol-powered cars as the top power option among consumers in Europe in 2025, data showed on Jan 27.
In 2025, about 10.8 million new vehicles were registered in the European Union, an increase of 1.8 per cent from the previous year, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
But new car sales “remain well below pre-pandemic levels”, the trade association said in a statement.
Despite the modest overall sales growth, consumers continued to shift towards hybrid and battery-electric vehicles.
Sales of hybrid-electric vehicles climbed by 13.5 per cent in 2025, accounting for 34.5 per cent of total EU sales, putting them ahead of petrol cars at 26.6 per cent.
Meanwhile, sales of battery-electric vehicles jumped by 30 per cent to account for 17.4 per cent of overall sales, although the ACEA noted that the gain was from a weak performance in 2024 and needs to rise further to stay on track with the EU’s transition goals.
Sales of plug-in hybrids also rose, but sales of petrol and diesel vehicles fell.
The combined market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 35.5 per cent, down from 45.2 per cent in 2024.
Volkswagen Group saw sales rise by 5.5 per cent in 2025 to increase its lead as the top-selling carmaker in Europe.
France’s Renault posted similar growth, but Stellantis, which owns several European brands such as Peugeot and Fiat, saw sales slide by 4.7 per cent.
Chinese carmaker BYD tripled its sales in the EU in 2025, albeit from a small base.
China’s SAIC Motor, which owns the MG brand, saw sales rise by a third.
Sales of Teslas fell by nearly 38 per cent in 2025 as the electric car brand suffered reputational damage in Europe linked to its association with billionaire Elon Musk, who backed US President Donald Trump before a falling out and has endorsed Germany’s far-right AfD party. AFP
