Passenger car registrations in the European Union fell by 3.4% year-on-year to 853,670 units in February 2025, following a 2.6% drop in the previous month. Germany led the decline, with a significant 6.4% reduction, followed by Italy, which saw a 6.2% decrease.
EU car registrations decrease in February
These declines reflect ongoing challenges in the European automotive market, including higher costs, supply chain disruptions, and shifting consumer preferences.
However, the battery electric vehicle (BEV) segment showed impressive growth, with car registrations surging by 23.7% to 131,275 units. BEVs now account for 15.4% of the total market share, as demand for cleaner, more sustainable transportation continues to rise. This growth was particularly notable in key European markets, with Belgium seeing a 38.9% increase in BEV registrations, Germany growing by 30.8%, and the Netherlands rising by 22.4%. These countries' strong performance highlights the increasing adoption of electric vehicles, spurred by favorable government policies, expanding charging infrastructure, and consumer awareness of environmental issues.
First two months figures
For the first two months of 2025, car registrations in the EU dropped by 3% compared to the same period in 2024. The declines were particularly pronounced in Italy (-6%), Germany (-4.6%), and France (-3.3%). Despite these overall reductions, the BEV segment continued to thrive, with new electric vehicle sales rising by 28.4% year-to-date, totaling 255,489 units. This surge has helped BEVs capture 15.2% of the total EU market share, a sign of their growing acceptance.
Further details
Notably, three of the four largest markets in the EU — Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands — account for 64% of all battery-electric car registrations and saw double-digit growth in the first two months of the year. Germany, the largest market, recorded an impressive 41% growth in BEV registrations, while Belgium and the Netherlands also experienced strong increases at 38% and 25%, respectively. This trend reflects a broader shift towards cleaner energy alternatives in the European automotive landscape, with more consumers opting for electric vehicles as a sustainable and cost-effective transportation solution.
