Electric vehicles have outsold traditional petrol-powered cars in Europe for the first time, marking a historic milestone in the region’s automotive transition.
Europeans registered more than 300,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in December, representing a 50% increase compared to the same month in 2024, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
The December figures show 308,955 new EVs were registered across the European Union, United Kingdom, and European Free Trade Association countries, compared to 254,449 petrol-powered vehicles – a 17.7% decrease year-on-year.
Within the EU alone, 217,898 EVs were registered in December, while petrol cars accounted for 216,492 registrations, down 19.2% from 2024.
The milestone comes after EVs previously surpassed diesel car sales at the end of 2023, with diesel continuing its decline with just over 70,000 registrations across the broader European region in December – a 23.1% decrease year-on-year.
Hybrid vehicles still lead the European market, with 380,921 registrations in December across the EU, EFTA and UK. However, hybrid growth was modest at 4.9% compared to the dramatic 50% surge in EV sales.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) also performed strongly, with 123,460 registrations representing a 35.8% increase from 2024.
Full-year perspective shows sustained growth
The December results reflect broader trends across 2024, with nearly 2.6 million EVs registered in the EU, EFTA and UK – a 29.7% increase over the previous year.
Hybrid vehicles maintained their market leadership with nearly 4.6 million registrations for the full year, up 12.4%, while PHEV registrations surpassed 1.2 million units, rising 33.4% year-on-year.
Traditional powertrains continued their decline, with petrol cars accounting for nearly 3.5 million registrations but falling 18.9% compared to 2024. Diesel vehicles recorded 1 million registrations, down 24% year-on-year.
The European market transformation comes as automakers introduce more affordable EV options and work to meet fleet emission requirements ahead of stricter regulations.
For Australia, the European milestone highlights the accelerating global shift toward electrification, though local EV adoption remains at earlier stages compared to European markets. The European experience may provide insights for Australian policymakers and consumers as the local market continues developing charging infrastructure and EV availability.
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