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Published on 10/29/2025 at 12:43 am EDT
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MUNICH (dpa-AFX) – Never before have fully electric vehicles accounted for such a large share of new car sales as in the third quarter. According to consulting firm PwC, which regularly analyzes 40 key global markets, nearly 21 percent of newly sold cars were pure electric vehicles (BEVs) during this period–a record high and two percentage points more than in the second quarter. These figures are based on data from markets that together represent about 85 percent of global car sales.
In total, PwC reports 3.6 million fully battery-powered vehicles (BEVs) sold in the third quarter–a good third more than a year ago. Across all powertrains, nearly 17.4 million new cars were sold, including 1.7 million plug-in hybrids and 2.5 million other hybrids.
Special Effect in the United States
By far the most important electric vehicle market remains China, with 2.3 million BEVs sold in the third quarter–over a third more than the same period last year. Europe recorded just under 607,000 BEVs, marking an increase of more than a quarter, while the United States reached nearly 419,000, up by just over a fifth. In the U.S., the expiration of a purchase incentive at the end of the quarter played a significant role, particularly boosting sales in September.
Within Europe, Germany leads with 133,000 BEVs, followed by the United Kingdom with 125,000. Globally, these figures place them third and fourth, respectively.
Lower Share in Existing Fleet–For Now
The proportion of fully electric cars in the existing vehicle fleet, however, remains significantly lower than among new registrations, as most cars on the road were sold when electric vehicles made up a much smaller share. PwC estimates BEVs account for about 4 percent of the vehicle fleet in Europe, 9 percent in China, and 2 percent in the United States.
Experts expect growth everywhere, though at very different speeds. By 2035, they forecast BEVs will make up 32 percent of the vehicle fleet in Europe, 40 percent in China, and 10 percent in the United States.
Combustion Engines for Enthusiasts and Niche Applications
“Electric vehicles are becoming better, more attractive, and more affordable,” says PwC partner Harald Wimmer. By 2035 at the latest, it will likely be second nature for the majority of drivers to switch to electric cars. Combustion engines, he says, will then be relevant only for enthusiasts and niche applications.
Jorn Neuhausen of PwC-affiliated consultancy Strategy& emphasizes the importance of robust supply chains for European manufacturers–especially in light of the “looming second chip crisis.” Regarding batteries, he advises manufacturers to adopt flexible architectures, so individual components can be replaced quickly. This would allow, for example, new and better battery cells coming to market to be installed swiftly and without a complete redesign of the drivetrain or battery system.
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