A report from the IEA finds that growth in EV sales in 2025, with record sales in nearly 100 countries, and ongoing energy crises will lead to further growth in key markets.

After strong growth last year, global electric car sales are expected to rise again in 2026, reaching 23 million and accounting for close to 30 per cent of all cars sold worldwide, according to the new edition of the IEA’s annual Global EV Outlook.

In 2025, global electric car sales grew by 20 per cent to exceed 20 million, meaning that a quarter of all new cars sold worldwide were electric. In around 40 countries, electric cars accounted for 10 per cent or more of new cars sold. In terms of production, Chinese automakers supplied 60 per cent of electric cars sold worldwide, while European and North American automakers were each responsible for about 15 per cent of global sales.

Following policy changes in China and the US, global sales of electric cars in the first quarter of 2026 fell by 8 per cent compared with the same period in 2025. However, this overall decline masked strong sales growth in many other countries and regions. In Europe, sales increased by close to 30 per cent year-on-year; in the Asia Pacific region excluding China, sales jumped by 80 per cent; and in Latin America, they were up by 75 per cent.

The report finds that by 2035, even without any new policy announcements, the global fleet of EVs (excluding two- and three-wheelers) is projected to surge as high as 510 million, up from nearly 80 million today.

The report finds that sales of electric trucks are also growing significantly, with the vast majority in China. Global sales more than doubled in 2025 from the previous year. Electric models accounted for nearly one in ten trucks sold worldwide last year. And the most electrified road transport segment, two- and three-wheelers, continued to grow in 2025.

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