One in four new cars is now electric

Transport is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise, so the rise of electric vehicles is a closely watched signal. In 2024, EVs passed 20% of global car sales for the first time — more than 17 million vehicles — and 2025 is expected to top 25%, or roughly one in four new cars.

A very uneven map

The global average hides huge differences:

• China reached about half of new-car sales electric in 2024 and is heading higher.
• Europe sits around 20–25%.
• The United States is nearer 10%.

Falling battery costs, wider model choice and charging build-out are driving adoption, though the pace varies with policy and incentives.

Why it matters for emissions

Cars and road transport are a major slice of global CO₂. Because an EV shifts its energy demand onto the electricity grid, its climate benefit grows as that grid gets cleaner — linking directly to the renewable electricity trend. As grids decarbonise, each EV displaces more fossil fuel over its life.

The road ahead

EVs alone will not solve transport emissions — freight, aviation and shipping remain difficult — but passenger cars are the first big domino, and the sales trend suggests it is beginning to fall.