According to new data from the International Council on Clean Transportation ICCT, zero- and low-emission architectures accounted for a quarter of all global light-duty vehicle sales in 2025. While established markets show significant variation, emerging economies — particularly in Southeast Asia — are rapidly accelerating the e-mobility transition.
The global electrification of light-duty vehicles, combining cars and vans, has crossed a critical volume threshold. An extensive market report published by the ICCT confirms that total global electric vehicle deliveries surpassed 20 million units in 2025.
Despite geopolitical headwinds, mainly in the U.S., the data illustrate a steady continuation of the EV transition. But the geographical context of the growth is shifting significantly toward developing economies.
China: dominant as always
To no one’s surprise, the manufacturing and retail footprint remains concentrated in China. In 2025, 52% of all new light-duty vehicles sold in the People’s Republic were electric. Upheld against the global picture, the country accounted for 62% of total retail sales and an overwhelming 71% of worldwide EV production.
In Europe, the transition continued its upward trajectory despite a complex regulatory environment and changing subsidy structures. Battery-electric models secured an 18% share of all new passenger car registrations in 2025, representing a measurable increase from the 14% share recorded in 2024.
Rising star Vietnam
The fastest acceleration is currently happening outside traditional automotive strongholds. Across 11 emerging economies featured in the analysis, combined EV sales reached roughly 1 million units, double the volume from the previous year.
Vietnam, home to EV maker Vinfast, presents the most striking regional case study, achieving a 37% EV market share and effectively outpacing the European average by nearly doubling it. Meanwhile, Thailand, Türkiye, Indonesia, and Colombia each reached a 9% uptake rate (roughly half of Europe’s adoption results). Also, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines saw their year-over-year sales double.
What’s driving this rapid deployment across Southeast Asia is an influx of affordable models, alongside encouraging and steady government policy.
Policy uncertainty impacts the U.S. footprint
On the other end, the market dynamics in the United States illustrate the industrial consequences of an oil-centric White House choosing drilling over charging. The overall market share for electric vehicles in the United States hovered at 9%, even trailing several developing economies. More critically, the U.S. share of global EV production contracted from 7% in 2024 to just 5% in 2025. If EVs are the technology of the future, the American brands are losing momentum fast.
But as the second-largest car market in the world, this reversal could have affected legacy brands from Europe as well. Still, the Volkswagen Group and Stellantis managed to increase their share of EV sales in the country.
Toward larger architectures
Lastly, the ICCT analysis also highlights how vehicle taste is evolving. The SUV and MPV categories have systematically expanded their market share across all tracked regions. This trend is particularly pronounced in India, where larger vehicle formats represented 80% of all electric light-duty purchases in 2025. The reign of the SUV is far from over.
