It's official – EVs just outsold gas-powered cars for the first time in Europe, here are 3 reasons why

• Petrol car registrations dropped by 18.7% by the end of 2025
• EVs surpassed petrol car sales in December last year
• BYD had a particularly strong year in Europe

The latest sales figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association have revealed that battery electric vehicles outsold petrol cars in Europe for the first time in December last year, marking a milestone for the technology.

Overall, petrol cars still ruled if you factor in data from January to December 2025, with 26.6% playing 17.4% of BEV sales. But hybrid vehicles, which combine a small petrol engine with batteries and electric motors, were the overall favorite, making up 34.5% of all European sales in 2025.

Perhaps the most telling figure is that petrol car registrations dropped by 18.7%, by the end of last year, with all major markets experiencing decreases. Diesel fared even worse, with ...