EU EV Sales Overtake Petrol Cars for First Time in December

Sales of fully electric cars exceeded those of petrol-only vehicles in the European Union for the first time in December, marking a milestone in the region’s gradual shift toward electrified mobility, according to data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). The crossover occurred even as EU policymakers moved to soften long-term emissions rules and as automakers faced mounting pressure from Chinese competitors, trade barriers and persistent concerns over electric vehicle profitability.

Battery electric vehicles accounted for 22.6% of new car registrations in the EU in December, narrowly surpassing petrol cars at 22.5%, ACEA data showed. Vehicle registrations are widely used as a proxy for sales. Gasoline-electric hybrids—including plug-in hybrids capable of limited battery-only driving—remained the largest category, representing 44% of the market.

The shift was also visible across the broader European market, which includes the United Kingdom and Norway, where total car sales recorded a sixth consecutive month of year-on-year growth. Analysts said the data underscored steady, though uneven, progress toward electrification rather than a rapid displacement of internal combustion engines.

“The lower number of petrol car sales partly reflects the reclassification of some models as ‘mild hybrids,’ which still rely on combustion engines and contribute only modestly to emissions reductions. It will likely take around half a decade before pure electric vehicles genuinely overtake combustion-engine models across the region, but this is nonetheless an important starting point,” said Matthias Schmift, an independent automotive analyst.

The December results came against a complex policy backdrop. During the month, the European Union unveiled a plan to soften an effective ban on combustion-engine vehicles scheduled for 2035, responding to lobbying from automakers who argue that demand for electric vehicles remains fragile without substantial government and manufacturer incentives. Under the revised proposal, 90%—rather than 100%—of new cars sold from that date would need to be zero-emission models, with additional conditions tied to the use of low-carbon steel and sustainable fuels.

Despite regulatory uncertainty, industry representatives said consumer acceptance of electric vehicles was improving. “We are seeing growing consumer buy-in. We are confident that sales across Europe will continue to rise in 2026,” said Chris Heron, Secretary General, E-Mobility Europe. He added that European brands had begun to adapt by launching more affordable electric models, supported by incentive programs introduced at the national level.

Competition in the European EV market is intensifying, particularly from Chinese manufacturers. Brands such as BYD, Changan and Geely have expanded their presence, while domestic automakers including Volkswagen and BMW continue to roll out new electric models. In December, registrations for Volkswagen and Stellantis rose 10.2% and 4.5%, respectively, compared with a year earlier, while Renault’s registrations fell 2.2%.

The data also showed divergent trends among electric vehicle makers. Tesla registrations in Europe dropped 20.2% in December, while registrations for BYD surged 229.7%. Over the full year, electric vehicle sales in Europe rose about 30% to a record high. During the same period, Tesla’s annual sales across the continent fell sharply, allowing BYD to overtake it globally.

Overall vehicle demand improved but remained below pre-pandemic levels. Total car sales across the EU, the UK and the European Free Trade Association rose 7.6% year on year to about 1.2 million vehicles in December and increased 2.4% to 13.3 million units for 2025, the highest annual volume in five years, according to ACEA. Within the EU alone, sales rose 5.8% in December to nearly 1 million vehicles and increased 1.8% for the year to 10.8 million.

Electrified vehicles accounted for a growing share of those registrations. In December, registrations of battery electric vehicles rose 51% year on year, plug-in hybrids increased 36.7%, and hybrid electric vehicles gained 5.8%. Combined, these categories represented 67% of all new car registrations in the bloc for the month.