Global Electric Car Sales Passed 20 Million in 2025, IEA Says

The headline

The International Energy Agency's Global EV Outlook 2026 says electric car sales grew by 20% globally to exceed 20 million in 2025, meaning one-quarter of all new cars sold were electric.

By region

• China: growth slowed slightly, in part due to a temporary halt to its trade-in scheme, but EVs still accounted for nearly 55% of all car sales.
• Europe: the strongest growth among major markets, with sales up more than 30% to reach 28% of total sales, following tighter EU CO2 standards for cars.
• United States: sales stayed relatively stable at just under 10% of car sales. The end of EV tax credits coincided with a drop in sales at the end of the year.
• Southeast Asia: annual sales more than doubled to reach a share of nearly 20%, led by Viet Nam, Indonesia and Thailand.
• Latin America: sales grew by 75%, led by Brazil and Mexico.

Other findings

• More than 100 countries recorded electric car sales growth in 2025, and in one-third of these EVs represented at least 10% of new car sales.
• Chinese automakers supplied 60% of global electric car sales in 2025, while European and North American automakers were each responsible for about 15%.

The energy backdrop

The IEA says the energy crisis resulting from the conflict in the Middle East has brought reliance on oil imports into sharp focus in many countries, and that road transport represents close to half of oil demand. It says policy responses will shape the global car market for years to come.

Sri Lanka is not broken out in the executive summary we checked, so we make no claim about local figures here.

Fact-checked on 30 October 2026 against the sources listed below. Tax rules and prices change by gazette, so confirm with Sri Lanka Customs or the Ministry of Finance before you pay.