Despite initial skepticism, electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly becoming a mainstream transportation solution globally. Battery-powered cars and trucks are proving to be efficient, require minimal maintenance, and offer the convenience of home charging, contributing to a surge in sales across several markets.
According to data from Rho Motion, a firm specializing in EV analytics, approximately 1.2 million EVs were sold globally last month, a noteworthy figure. Although this represents a 3 percent decrease compared to sales in January 2025, it still reflects impressive year-over-year growth of almost 50 percent. Combining sales for January and February, the year-to-date performance indicates substantial gains, albeit with regional variations. In the first two months of the year, global sales rose by 30 percent, reaching about 2.4 million units.
China continues to be the leading market, with 1.4 million EVs sold, marking a 35 percent increase. Europe followed closely, with roughly half a million EVs sold, a 20 percent rise. In the United States and Canada, approximately 300,000 EVs were sold, also reflecting a 20 percent increase. This represents a significant year-over-year increase in North America during the combined January and February period, nearly matching the growth observed in China, although overall volumes remain significantly lower.
“China… is seeing a pure electric renaissance this year compared to the hybrid love affair of 2024,” noted Charles Lester, Rho Motion’s data manager. In a media release, Lester commented, “It’s been a solid start to the year for EV sales globally with a 50 percent bump in February compared to the previous year.” He added, “Much of the growth continues to come from China, which is seeing a pure electric renaissance this year compared to the hybrid love affair of 2024.”
Lester further stated, “As for North America, the region is seeing steady growth of 20 percent so far this year. American drivers bought 30 percent more electric vehicles than they had by this time last year, making use of the final months of IRA tax breaks before the incentives are expected to be pulled later this year.”
Breaking down the numbers, sales of battery-electric vehicles in the U.S. grew by 28 percent in the first part of the year. In Mexico, the market saw an increase of more than 100 percent attributed to the affordability of Chinese imports. It’s worth noting that the upcoming removal of U.S. tax credits could negatively impact sales, posing a challenge, particularly for Tesla. The EV manufacturer saw a 47 percent drop in sales in Europe and a 15 percent decline in China.
In China, the year-over-year sales of purely electric vehicles jumped by 46 percent between January and February. Meanwhile, deliveries of plug-in hybrids increased by 22 percent. These figures strongly suggest a rising interest in electric vehicles among Chinese consumers.
In Europe, the sales of battery-electric vehicles saw an increase of 29 percent during the initial two months of 2025. However, plug-in hybrids didn’t perform as well, with a mere 2 percent increase. This trend is likely influenced by a new weight tax in France, which has significantly reduced plug-in sales by 48 percent. The UK and Germany also showed robust growth, with EV sales up by more than 40 percent.
