In November, EU car registrations rose 2.1% according to data from the European Car Manufacturers Association (ACEA). For the year to date (YTD), the rise is 1.4%. With the EFTA countries and the UK included, the increase is 2.4% and 1.9%, respectively. Despite the recent positive momentum, overall
volumes remain well below pre-pandemic levels.

The battery-electric car market share reached 16.9% YTD, in line with projections for the year, yet still leaves room for growth to stay on track with the transition. Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the most popular power type choice among buyers, with plug-in hybrids continuing to gain momentum.

By power source

Up until November 2025, battery-electric cars accounted for 16.9% of the EU market share, an increase from the low baseline of 13.4% in November 2024 YTD. Hybrid-electric car registrations captured 34.6% of the market, remaining the preferred choice among EU consumers. Meanwhile, the combined market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 36.1%, down from 45.8% over the same period in 2024.

The year-over-year (YOY) variation for November 2025 showed a surge of 44.1% for battery-electric and 4.2% for hybrid-electric cars, while plug-in-hybrid electric recorded a 38.4% increase.

Electric

During the first eleven months of 2025, 1,662,399 new battery-electric cars were registered, capturing 16.9% of the EU market share. The largest four markets in the EU, which together account for 62% of battery-electric car registrations, saw gains: Germany (+41.3%), Belgium (+10.2%), the Netherlands (+8.8%), and France (+9.1%).

Hybrids

January to November 2025 figures also showed new EU hybrid-electric car registrations rising to 3,408,907 units, driven by growth in the four biggest markets: Spain (+26%), France (+24.2%), Germany (+8.7%), and Italy (+7.9%). Hybrid-electric models account for 34.6% of the total EU market.

Registrations of plug-in-hybrid electric cars continue to grow, reaching 912,723 units during the same period. This was driven by increases in volume across key markets, including Spain (+113%), Italy (+80.6%), and Germany (+62.7%). As a result, plug-in-hybrid electric cars now represent 9.3% of EU car registrations, up from 7.1% last year, and have overtaken diesel cars.

Petrol and diesel

By the end of November 2025, petrol car registrations fell by 18.6%, with all major markets experiencing decreases. France experienced the steepest drop, with registrations plummeting by 32.1%, followed by Germany (-22.4%), Italy (-17.4%), and Spain (-14.6%). With 2,665,739 new cars registered so far, the market share for petrol dropped to 27% from 33.7% the same period last year.

Similarly, the diesel car market declined by 24.4%, resulting in a 9% share for November 2025 YTD. Additionally, the November 2025 YOY variation showed a 21.9% decline in petrol and a 23.2% decline in diesel.

The tendencies in the EFTA countries (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland) and the UK are the same. In Iceland, sales of pure electric cars and hybrids rose dramatically in November, and petrol and diesel are becoming rarities, as was already the case in Norway.

By make

It comes as hardly a surprise when I tell you that the Volkswagen Group is by far the largest manufacturer in the EU. In November, the group increased its market share to 28.4% and sold 3.5% more cars overall. The biggest winner in the group is Cupra (+23.6%), the loser is Porsche (-28.2%).

Stellantis Group stays number two but sees its market share decline again (to 14.1%, less than half VW’s), despite a slight 0.3% sales increase. The winners here are Citroën (+14.8%), Fiat (+22.3%), and Lancia Chrysler (+20.7%); the losers are Peugeot (-11.3%), Jeep (-14.7%), Alfa Romeo (-9.1%), and DS (-35.7%). DS now sells less than half of what Alfa Romeo achieves; we think this is really getting worrying.

Third in the row is Renault Group, now already with an 11.7% market share, sales that have risen 2.3% (thanks to Renault, this time). Alpine has almost tripled its sales (+170.2%, from 252 to 681 cars).

In the intense struggle for fourth place, Toyota Group has slightly surpassed Hyundai Group, with a market share of 7.3% compared to 7.1%, despite a 9.2% sales decline for Toyota. But as both groups aren’t performing very well, they were surpassed by BMW Group (up 4% in sales, 7.4% market share) in November, picking up fourth place (for the first time) by selling 1,000 cars more than Toyota and 3,000 more than Hyundai. BMW’s ‘putsch’ is thanks to the Mini sales increase.

As usual, Mercedes-Benz comes in seventh, with a market share of 5.6% and a 3.8% sales decline. Ford (2.6% market share) and Volvo (2.1%) remain in eighth and ninth place. On ten, we see the first Chinese automaker, with 1.9% market share, SAIC Motor (+41.6% sales increase).

The biggest surprise is number eleven: BYD has sold 235.2% more cars than in November 2024 and sees its market share triple, from 0.6% to 1.8%. This means that Nissan (-8.8% in sales, 1.5% market share) is pushed to place 12, and that Tesla is now 13th (-34.2% in sales, 1.4% market share, down from 2.1%).

Behind them come Suzuki, Mazda, and the Jaguar Land Rover Group (-37.9% in sales, no Jaguar sold anymore). Honda (with a nice 37.9% sales increase) and Mitsubishi (losing 26.4% of sales) are playing leapfrog.

Cumulated

Looking at the first 11 months of 2025, Volkswagen Group has gained almost 1% market share and is positioned unapproachable with 27.7% of the market. Stellantis loses share again, from 16.8% to 15.6%, and sales (-5.5%). French rival, Renault Group, on the contrary, keeps climbing (in sales: +6.5%, and in market share: 11.4%).

Hyundai Group and Toyota Group are locked in a tight battle for fourth place, with Hyundai momentarily taking fourth place with 7.5% market share (down 0.4%) despite a 3.8% sales decrease, before Toyota (7.4% share, -6% in sales).

Again, BMW Group is catching up on them, increasing its sales by 6.1% and its market share from 6.7% to 7.0%. Mercedes-Benz stays bolted in seventh place (5.2% share), Ford follows with 2.8%, and Volvo Cars with 2.2% (-15.7% in sales).

The (semi) Swedes have to watch out for SAIC Motor, with 1.9% market share and 39.4% more sales now well into the top ten, followed by Nissan (1.8%), Suzuki (1.4%), and Tesla (1.3%, -38.8% in sales). Fourteenth place is for BYD, increasing its sales (YTD) by 240% and its market share from 0.3% to 1.1%.

The second purely Chinese brand in the market seems determined to catch up with SAIC Motor, but the gap between them is still about 80,000 cars. After them come Mazda, JLR, Honda, and Mitsubishi.