Sales of fully electric vehicles surpassed those of petrol-only cars in the European Union for the first time in December, marking a symbolic milestone in the region’s gradual transition toward cleaner transportation. The figures were released Tuesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
While electric vehicles (EVs) reached a new high, hybrid cars continued to dominate the overall market, highlighting Europe’s cautious but steady move away from traditional combustion engines.
According to ACEA data, fully electric vehicles accounted for 22.6% of new car registrations in the EU in December, narrowly overtaking petrol-only cars, which held 22.5%. Hybrids — including gasoline-electric and plug-in hybrid models — remained the largest segment, capturing 44% of total registrations. Vehicle registrations are widely used as a proxy for sales.
The shift comes despite growing political pressure to ease emissions regulations. European policymakers recently proposed relaxing strict climate rules that would have effectively phased out combustion-engine vehicles by 2035, allowing petrol and diesel cars to remain on the road for longer.
Independent automotive analyst Matthias Schmidt cautioned that the milestone does not yet signal a full electric takeover. He noted that falling petrol sales are partly the result of reclassifying some vehicles as “mild hybrids” — cars that still rely on petrol engines and offer only limited emissions reductions.
“It will still take around half a decade before pure electric cars genuinely overtake combustion-engine models across the region,” Schmidt said. “But this is nonetheless a start.”
Race for Europe’s EV Market
Across the broader European market — which includes the United Kingdom and Norway — total car sales recorded a sixth consecutive month of year-on-year growth, suggesting resilient consumer demand even as automakers navigate economic uncertainty.
Competition in the European EV market is intensifying, particularly from Chinese manufacturers such as BYD, Changan, and Geely, which are rapidly expanding their presence with competitively priced electric models. Their rise has added pressure on established European brands like Volkswagen and BMW, both of which are accelerating their EV rollouts to defend market share.
In December, the European Union unveiled plans to soften its proposed 2035 ban on new combustion-engine car sales, responding to lobbying from automakers struggling with slowing EV adoption, rising costs, U.S. import tariffs, and fierce competition from overseas rivals.
Despite regulatory uncertainty, industry experts remain confident that electric vehicles will continue gaining ground. Falling battery costs, expanding charging infrastructure, and new incentive schemes across individual EU countries are expected to support long-term EV growth.
Chris Heron, Secretary General of E-Mobility Europe, said European manufacturers are adapting to the changing landscape by introducing more affordable electric options.
“European brands have begun responding with new, competitively priced EVs, while governments are rolling out fresh incentive programs to support adoption,” Heron said.
Although hybrids currently dominate the market, December’s figures signal a turning point — one that suggests Europe’s electric transition, while uneven, is steadily moving forward.
