China strengthened its hold on the global market for new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2025, as worldwide car sales rose to 96.47 million units and electric and hybrid models accounted for 22.71 million of them, according to Cui Dongshu, Secretary General of the China Passenger Car Association.
Global NEV Share Climbs to 30% of All Car Sales
NEVs made up 30% of global vehicle sales in 2025, an increase of 4 percentage points compared with 2024. Within that, the so-called “narrow” NEV category-covering battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs)-reached a 23.5% share.
Breaking the figures down further:
- BEVs represented 15.6% of global sales
- PHEVs accounted for 7.9%
The split points to continued, broad-based growth in electrified powertrains.
China Dominates Sales-And Expands via Exports
China remained the central force behind the sector’s expansion. In 2025, Chinese passenger NEVs accounted for 68.4% of worldwide NEV sales, rising to 71.9% in the fourth quarter.
In the BEV segment alone, China captured 64.3% of global sales-up 1 percentage point year on year-highlighting both the scale of domestic demand and the growing importance of overseas shipments.
United States Growth Stalls as December Sales Fall
The United States showed signs of slowing momentum. NEV sales totalled 1.63 million in 2025, up just 1% for the year. In December 2025, volumes fell 31% compared with the same month a year earlier to 110,000 vehicles, a decline attributed to high tariffs and the removal of subsidies.
Europe Records Strong Annual Increase
Europe moved in the opposite direction, posting a sharp rise in adoption. The region sold 3.83 million new energy passenger cars in 2025, marking a 32% increase on 2024.
Chinese Brands Increase Their Footprint Overseas
Chinese manufacturers continued to expand their presence in export markets. In December 2025, Chinese NEVs took a 20.8% share of overseas markets, up 1.9 percentage points from November.
Across the full year, the overseas share of Chinese NEVs rose from 9.5% to 15.3%, underlining the rapid internationalisation of China’s carmakers and their growing influence on the global shift towards electrified vehicles.
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