Tesla slipped behind VW in European EV sales last year
A report from Arstechnica says Tesla can console itself with the Model Y remaining Europe’s most-registered car; 149,805 Model Ys found European homes in 2025, 28 percent fewer than last year. The Model 3 also proved unpopular, falling by 24 percent to 85,393 units sold.
Volvo’s EX30 saw an even steeper decline, dropping 37 percent to 49,110 units. Among the car’s challenges were recalls and Volvo switching production from China to Belgium due to the international tariff war.
Although Europe’s battery EV sales grew by 29 percent in 2025, buyers purchased more mild hybrids, which totaled 2,974,089 units—16 percent more than in 2024. Sales of conventional hybrids grew 10 percent to 1,692,711 units, plug-in hybrids rose 34 percent to 1,272,463 units, and unelectrified vehicle sales fell 20 percent to 4,528,181. By next year, it’s likely that more than two in three new cars sold in Europe will be electrified to some degree.