Toyota Motor Europe (TME) says it saw record first-half-year sales in Europe of 635,328 vehicles, of which 491,197 were ‘electrified’. According to TME, “A key factor was continued solid demand for Toyota and Lexus electrified vehicles, which expanded by +6% year-on-year and now represent 77% of TME’s total sales mix.”

However, ‘electrified’ in Toyota’s words means including classic hybrids and PHEVs. Battery electric (BEV) accounted only for 26,316 vehicles or approximately 4,14% of the total, including Toyota Professional, TME’s light commercial vehicle brand.

2nd best-selling car brand

Toyota claims it retained its position as 2nd best-selling car brand with all-time record sales of 591,115 vehicles. The brand’s top sellers included the Yaris, Corolla , Toyota C-HR, RAV4 and Aygo X. Total sales increased by +1% year-on-year, outperforming the overall market which contracted by -1.54%.

The best‐selling car brand in Europe during the first half of 2025 was Volkswagen (VW) — not only overall, but it also led the all-electric vehicle (EV) segment. Volkswagen sold somewhat 347,900 BEVs in Europe in this period (+89%), accounting for ~465,500 units worldwide and having a 28% BEV market share in the Old Continent.

Interesting detail: Toyota’s pioneering Mirai FCEV, the only hydrogen-powered alternative for an electric car next to Hyundai’s Nexo, has still sold 233 units in Europe in the first half of this year, while worldwide sales of FCEVs is dramatically low due to high hydrogen prices.

On the other hand, apparently, Toyota’s continuing ‘mildly misleading’ advertizing making people believe they can join the ‘electric’ drive with a hybrid that is cheaper than a gasoline car, pays off. ‘Top electrified’ was Yaris Cross Hybrid (103,574); Yaris Hybrid (90,074); Toyota C-HR Hybrid/Plug-in Hybrid (76,432); Corolla Hybrid (64,812); RAV4 Hybrid/Plug-in Hybrid (43,024).

‘Electrified’ mix of 79%

These accounted for an ‘electrified mix’ in West Europe of 79%, and 59% in East Europe, which in this case means including Kazakhstan, Caucasus, Ukraine, Turkey and Israel. TME discontinued sales in Russia in 2022.

Total Lexus sales was 44,213 or an increase of +7% year-on-year, of which 41,823 ‘electrified’ (+13%). Top sellers for Lexus are the LBX Hybrid (14,757), NX (13,607) and UX (4,703). Top electrified: LBX Hybrid (14,757), NX Hybrid/Plug-in Hybrid (13,469);), UX Hybrid/BEV (4,703); RX Hybrid/Plug-in Hybrid (3,679).

Only one Toyota BEV passenger car

When looking at pure BEV sales, figures are somewhat less spectacular. Toyota’s sole fully electric passenger car option in Europe for now, the bZ4X BEV accounted for 18,724 sales. In the commercial vehicle branche Proace BEV (3,390), Proace CITY BEV (4,931) and Proace MAX BEV (728) are the fully electric options.

Looking at Lexus, the UX BEV totalled 953 cars, while the RZ BEV was the best-selling with 2,521 units. All others were ‘electrified’, which Lexus translates as a “100% electrified sales mix in West Europe and 95% across the entire region”. Key performers are the compact Lexus LBX Hybrid and Lexus NX (available in plug-in hybrid and hybrid variants).

Lexus posted sales of 44,213, an increase of +7% year-on-year, outperforming the premium market in Europe, while sales of its electrified models increased +13% year-on-year.

Cool lovers of fully electric

Toyota is often described as a ‘cool lover’ of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) because it has taken a ‘cautious and gradual approach’ to fully electric cars, unlike competitors such as Volkswagen, Tesla, or Hyundai. Its first mass-market BEV, the bZ4X, launched in 2022—well after Tesla, VW, and others.

Toyota executives (notably former CEO Akio Toyoda) have repeatedly expressed their doubts about fully electric cars. Toyota has long argued that hybrids are a more practical, transitional solution—especially in markets with limited charging infrastructure.

However, EV Belgium, the sector federation for electromobility in the land where TME has its headquarters in Brussels, just published a new report proving Europe will officially have more than one million public charging points this summer. So ‘limited charging infrastructure’?