Global electric vehicle sales grew by 29% compared to last year, reaching 5.6 million units in the first four months of 2025. According to new data from Rho Motion, China and Europe were the main drivers of this growth.
From January to April 2025, 5.6 million electric vehicles (EVs) were sold worldwide. According to EV research firm Rho Motion, this is a 29% increase compared to the same time in 2024.
1.5 million EVs were sold in April alone—a 29% rise from April last year. However, sales were 12% lower than in March 2025.
China led the way in EV sales, with 3.3 million vehicles sold in the first four months of 2025—a 35% increase from the same time in 2024.
Europe came next with 1.2 million EVs sold, up 25%, while North America had a smaller rise of 5%, reaching 600,000 units. Together, the rest of the world sold 500,000 EVs, showing a strong 37% increase.
Charles Lester, data manager at Rho Motion, said: “Ongoing tariff negotiations dominate talk in the electric vehicle industry but quietly, domestic manufacturers in China and the EU continue to perform well and grow market share. The EU is certainly the success story for EV sales in 2025 so far, with emissions targets lighting a fire under the industry to accelerate the switch to electric.”
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are still the top choice in Europe, growing by 29% this year, compared to a 16% growth for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).
Central European countries have seen strong growth, with Germany up 42%, Italy 56%, Spain 57%, and the UK 32%. However, France saw a 14% drop in sales, mainly due to lower consumer incentives.
In North America, electric vehicle (EV) growth is steady but modest at 5%. Mexico has experienced the strongest growth, partly due to more exports from China. Trade deals with the UK and China have led to some small reductions in tariffs, but essential duties on EVs and parts are still in place.
China is still the biggest EV market in the world and continues to grow, though sales dropped 9% in April compared to March. Rho Motion pointed out that recent suspensions of US-China tariffs won’t significantly impact EV trade, as Chinese companies aren’t currently exporting many EVs to the US.
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