Jan 14 (Reuters) – Global EV registrations grew 20% last year but are likely to lose pace in 2026, data showed on Wednesday, as a slowdown in China and a relaxation of electrification targets worldwide led in December to the smallest sales increase since February 2024.
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WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
BY THE NUMBERS
Global EV registrations, a proxy for sales, rose by 6% to almost 2.1 million units in December, reaching 20.7 million vehicles in 2025, the data showed.
They were up by 2% in China to more than 1.3 million, the lowest year-on-year increase since February 2024, leading to a 17% increase to 12.9 million units in 2025. The country produced 71% of EVs sold worldwide.
North American registrations fell by 39% to just over 100,000 cars sold, following similar declines in October and November at the end of U.S. tax credits. They were down 4% for the entire 2025.
Europe was up by 34% in December to over 450,000 registrations and by 33% in the year, while in the rest of the world sales were up by 41% to over 160,000 units in December, and by 48% in 2025.
WHAT’S NEXT
BMI expects 23.9 million EVs will be sold globally this year, a 15.7% increase, with growth sharply accelerating in China to 21% and slowing in Europe and the rest of the world to 15% and 26%, respectively. It forecasts a sharper decrease of 23% in North America due to a 29% slump in the U.S.
Reporting by Alessandro Parodi in Gdansk,
Editing by Tomasz Janowski
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