The Automotive Update: Which brands sold the most EV models in 2025?
12 February 2026
How did global and European electric vehicle (EV) markets perform in 2025? Which brands sold the most EVs? How has one model navigated EU countervailing duties? Tom Geggus, Autovista24 editor, answers these questions in The Automotive Update podcast.
In this episode, Autovista24 analyses the global and European EV markets and examines the best-selling brands by plug-in volumes. Plus, a look at the latest twist in automotive trade talks between Europe and China.
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The world’s best-selling EV brand
Global sales of new EVs, including battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), rose 20.9% to 20,914,871 units in 2025. However, this growth rate reflects a slowing trend. The global EV market has seen its pace of expansion slow consistently since 2021. During this period, BEVs consistently accounted for the majority of EV sales.
Conversely, Europe saw its steepest full-year growth since 2021, with a 31.3% improvement to 3,881,325 sales. This followed a decline in 2024. Last year’s increase was helped by a strong fourth quarter. In this period, the continent recorded 1,150,986 units, the first time more than one million sales occurred in a quarter.
BYD sold the greatest number of EVs in 2025, as its volumes increased by 3.1% to 3,967,070 units. However, due to increased competition, its market share fell by 3.2 percentage points (pp) year on year to 19%. Tesla followed in second, with 1,635,753 deliveries. However, this equated to a 8.5% drop in volumes.
In Europe, Volkswagen (VW) took the best-sellers title, with sales up 86.8% to 426,325 units. Consequently, its market share rose by 3.3pp to 11%. This marked the first time the marque led Europe’s EV market since its victory in 2021.
EV exempt from EU tariffs
The European Commission confirmed a minimum import price (MIP) for a BEV made in China. As of 11 February, VW can export the Cupra Tavascan into the EU at or above a proposed MIP.
The agreement will exempt the SUV from countervailing duties of 20.7%. Alongside the MIP, the carmaker will also limit its import volumes and invest in BEV-related projects in the EU.
‘SEAT and Cupra welcome the decision of the European Commission to accept SEAT and Cupra’s undertaking offer exempting the Cupra Tavascan from countervailing duties,’ the carmaker said in a statement sent to Autovista24. The statement went on to highlight that the Tavascan is a key model for the brand and its electrification journey.
The SUV is designed and developed in Europe and produced in China by a VW Group majority-owned subsidiary. The carmaker also said that the tariffs have had a significant impact on the results and performance of SEAT and Cupra in 2025. However, the carmaker ensured that this did not affect the price of the Tavascan.
This development could pave the way for more brands to reach similar agreements in the future. Meanwhile, China’s commerce ministry is now allowing carmakers from the country to negotiate independently with the EU, according to Reuters.
