07:15 12-11-2025

EVs gain ground in Europe as PHEVs lose steam, led by Germany

Across Europe, sales of plug-in hybrids are sliding, while fully electric cars keep gaining ground. The pattern is clearest in Germany, a barometer for the continent’s car market.

By October 2025, electric vehicles made up 21% of new-car sales in Germany. Plug-in hybrids fell to a 12.4% share. Models with traditional internal combustion engines still held 66.7%, but that slice is shrinking fast.

Over the year, the EV share climbed to 17.8%, while PHEVs slipped to 10.2%. Experts expect that by 2030 hybrids will start to lose their rationale as a bridge technology, with more affordable and efficient electric cars taking over.

Rising interest in 2026 model-year vehicles with fully electric powertrains reinforces the sense that Europe’s move toward zero-emission transport is no longer tentative. Judging by the sales mix, the market increasingly treats PHEVs as a stopgap, and the momentum now sits squarely with battery-electric models.