Electric hybrid vehicles surged to 35.5% of the market, maintaining their position as the top choice among EU consumers
The European automotive sector is undergoing a major shift, and electric vehicles are holding their ground. Except for Tesla. In the first quarter of 2025, the company’s registrations in the EU dropped by 45% compared to the same period in 2024.
read also Jeff Bezos backs new electric car startup promising a $25K customizable vehicle by 2026
Tesla registrations plunge in March
According to ACEA data, the American automaker registered 28,502 vehicles in March, a 28.2% year-on-year drop, with its market share falling from 2.9% to 2%.
These poor figures have reportedly prompted Elon Musk to scale back his political involvement. “Starting in May, the time I dedicate to the Doge will likely drop significantly,” Musk said, suggesting he may limit his involvement to “one or two days a week.”
Tesla stumbles, but EV rivals thrive
While Tesla takes a hit, other automakers are breathing a sigh of relief. The Volkswagen Group posted a 5% increase in registrations, and BMW saw a modest 0.4% rise. Mercedes-Benz, however, faced a 6.2% drop. Despite these mixed results, overall new car registrations in the EU declined by 1.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same quarter in 2024.
On the flip side, EVs are booming. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) surged by 23.9%, increasing their market share to 15.2%, up from 12% a year earlier. The same trend applies to the used vehicle market.
Plug-in hybrids lead growth, combustion engines fall behind
Electric hybrid vehicles are still gaining ground. They captured 35.5% of the EU market, reaffirming their status as consumers’ favorite option. Internal combustion engine vehicles, meanwhile, continue to lose momentum. The combined market share of gasoline and diesel cars dropped to 38.3%, down from 48.3% during the same period last year.
BEV performance across EU markets
Electrified vehicles – including BEVs, HEVs, and PHEVs – accounted for 59.2% of all car registrations in March across the EU, up from 49.1% in 2024. Three of the EU’s four largest markets, which together represent 63% of all BEV registrations, reported major gains: Germany (+38.9%), Belgium (+29.9%), and the Netherlands (+7.9%). France was the only one to register a decline, with a 6.6% drop.
Car registrations in Italy: March 2025 data
In the first quarter of 2025, hybrid-electric car registrations across the EU rose by 20.7%, with growth driven by the four major markets: France (+47.5%), Spain (+36.6%), Italy (+15.3%), and Germany (+10.5%).
Focusing on Italy in March 2025, here are the detailed figures:
- Hybrid-electric: 45.2%
- Plug-in hybrid: 4.4%
- Battery electric: 5.4%
- Diesel: 10.5%
- Gasoline: 26.7%
- Other: 7.7%
More charging stations power EV momentum in Italy
There’s more good news for Italy’s EV market. As of March 31, the country had 65,992 public charging stations, up by 11,828 units over the past 12 months and by 1,601 since the start of the year, according to Motus-E. Meanwhile, the share of installed but not yet grid-connected charging points fell to 15.8%.
Along Italian highways, 1,108 fast charging points were operational as of March 2025, up from 942 a year earlier. Of these, 86% use DC fast charging, and 64% offer power over 150 kW. Nearly half (45.5%) of highway service areas are now equipped with charging infrastructure.
“After years of strong growth in the number of charging points, which now places us among Europe’s best in terms of road network and EV density, the goal is to build on this solid foundation to continue expanding and enhancing the charging experience,” said Fabio Pressi, president of Motus-E. “We are focusing on high-power hubs and ensuring a widespread and consistent network that meets local needs, while speeding up the adoption of more advanced technologies to serve drivers.”
Charging station growth by region
- Lombardy: 13,306 points (+3,148 year-on-year)
- Lazio: 7,040 points (+1,899)
- Piedmont: 6,351 points (+510)
- Veneto: 6,031 points (+864)
- Emilia-Romagna: 5,225 points (+709)
Among provinces, Rome leads the way with 5,605 charging points (+1,599), followed by Milan (4,414, +1,168), Naples (3,046, +367), Turin (2,903, +474), and Brescia (1,867, +267).
