More than 20 million electric cars were sold around the world in 2025, up about 20% from the previous year and accounting for roughly one quarter of all new passenger car sales, according to the International Energy Agency's Global EV Outlook 2026.
The expansion was led by a handful of major markets. Europe recorded about 4.2 million electric car sales in 2025, a rise of more than 30% and a 28% share of the regional market. The United States saw roughly 1.5 million sales, holding a share of around 10% of new cars.
Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) made up about 65% of all electric cars sold globally, with Europe showing an even higher BEV penetration of nearly 70% of electric car sales. The agency noted that growth is becoming increasingly uneven across regions, shaped by local policy, incentives and market conditions.
The IEA highlights that affordability and trade have moved to the centre of the electric mobility debate, with manufacturing and battery supply chains drawing heightened policy attention in 2026.
