New car registrations in the European Union fell by 1.2 per cent in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, despite a slight rebound in April with a 1.3 per cent year-on-year increase, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) gained momentum, with sales up 26.4 per cent year-to-date to 558,262 units, accounting for 15.3 per cent of the total market. Hybrid-electric cars remained the most popular choice, rising 20.8 per cent to a 35.3 per cent market share. Plug-in hybrids also grew 7.8 per cent, reaching nearly 288,000 units or 7.9 per cent of the market. In contrast, registrations of petrol and diesel cars continued to tumble. Petrol sales fell 20.6 per cent, while diesel declined 26.4 per cent, bringing their combined market share down to 38.2 per cent — from 48.4 per cent a year earlier. Major markets such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain all reported sharp drops in internal combustion engine car sales, underscoring a growing shift among EU consumers towards cleaner alternatives despite ongoing global economic uncertainty. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
