Europe's Rapid Growth in Electric Vehicle Adoption by 2025
Europe is witnessing a significant shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), with a dedicated approach to phasing out traditional petrol and diesel vehicles. The European EV market is experiencing a strong, steady increase and shows no signs of slowing down.
During the first quarter of 2025, Europe saw a surge in EV adoption, with numbers expected to rise as the year progresses. Seventeen European countries have experienced growth in EV adoption, with Germany, the UK, Belgium, and Sweden leading the charge. Germany, in particular, has seen a 43% increase, followed by the UK with a 35% rise.
France, despite a 4% decrease in EV adoption, has experienced a significant increase in 2024 due to a year-long EV incentive scheme. Similarly, Germany has seen an increase in purchases of home chargepoints after three years of stagnant numbers, largely due to a previous incentive scheme in 2021 offering free installation. Interestingly, a large number of houses in Germany, even those without EVs, took advantage of this offer.
As of February 14, 2025, there are now 15 million EVs on the streets of Europe, and 1 million public chargepoints have been installed across the region. The general public is expected to divide their charging operations across home, public spaces, and workplaces.
The growth in EV adoption is attributed to several key factors. The introduction of new, stringent CO2 limits for auto-OEMs and the availability of cheaper, more versatile, and family-friendly EV options like the BYD Dolphin, Renault 5, and Volkswagen ID.2 are the most significant.
Looking to the future, Germany is projected to have an 80% Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) adoption rate by 2035, while Norway is forecasted to achieve a 100% BEV adoption rate during the same period. The Netherlands is expected to trail behind Norway with a 95% BEV adoption rate by 2035.
However, Europe faces challenges in electrification compared to China, which plans to dominate the electric vehicle market by 2035. Europe is still debating combustion engine phase-outs and charging infrastructure development, unlike China's aggressive approach. Germany, for instance, has ambitious climate goals aiming for climate neutrality by 2045, but no explicit forecast of 100% BEV commercial vehicles by 2035 is provided.
John Murray, Head of EVs at LCP Delta, discussed trends, forecasts, and the future of EV adoption in Europe during MOVE 2025. The energy cost of charging EVs in Germany is predicted to be 60 terawatts per hour.
In conclusion, Europe is steadily embracing electric vehicles, with a promising future ahead. As the market continues to grow, it's clear that the shift towards sustainable, electric transportation is not just a trend, but a necessary step towards a greener future.
