(MENAFN- Robotics & Automation News) Norway close to 100 percent electric car adoption as Europe's uneven EV transition continues

November 22, 2025 by David Edwards

Europe's shift toward electric mobility accelerated in 2025, but adoption remains highly uneven across the continent, according to new analysis from TradingPedia.

While electric vehicles now account for more than a quarter of all new cars sold in Europe, the gap between early adopters and lagging markets continues to widen.

Norway remains far ahead of every other country, with 96.82 percent of new car registrations now fully electric. The country's market is so mature that petrol and diesel sales have collapsed sharply, down more than 50 percent and 37 percent respectively so far this year.

Denmark (68.73 percent), Sweden (62.04 percent), and Finland (56.58 percent) also rank among the world's highest adopters, reflecting strong incentives, dense charging coverage, and consumer readiness to transition away from fossil-fuelled vehicles.

Across Europe, electric mobility is still gaining momentum despite cooling subsidy schemes. EV sales rose 27 percent in 2025 to reach 2.72 million units, driven largely by growth in plug-in hybrids (up 32 percent) and a steady rise in fully electric models. Germany, Europe's largest auto market, recorded nearly 600,000 EV sales, an increase of 46.6 percent from 2024.

The strongest relative growth, however, came from emerging markets. Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Iceland more than doubled their EV sales compared with last year, suggesting that EU incentives and corporate fleet adoption are beginning to reach mid-income countries. Poland, for example, saw battery-electric registrations climb 106.7 percent year-on-year.

Yet much of Southern and Eastern Europe remains heavily dependent on internal combustion engines. In Bulgaria, 90.6 percent of newly registered cars still run on petrol or diesel, and in Latvia conventional vehicles continue to represent nearly 80 percent of the market despite recent EV gains. Slower charger rollout, lower incomes, and limited policy support continue to hold back adoption in these regions.

The report also highlights shifting dynamics among automakers. Legacy European brands – led by Volkswagen Group, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Renault, Peugeot, and Citroën – dominate the continent's EV rankings, while Tesla sits in 18th place for 2025 with 173,694 units sold.

Analysts attribute this to strong regional production networks and a broader model mix tailored to European consumer preferences.

Data for the report was sourced from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). Full analysis and charts are available at TradingPedia.

MENAFN22112025005532012229ID1110383002