 "Europe buys more electric vehicles than petrol cars for first time — despite Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’ push")
Europe crossed a milestone in its energy transition in December 2025, as fully electric cars outsold petrol vehicles for the first time, signalling a decisive shift in consumer preference even as political winds in the United States blow in the opposite direction.
Data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) on Tuesday showed that Fully electric vehicles accounted for 22.6% of all new car registrations in the European Union in December, overtaking petrol cars at 22.5%.
The crossover comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has renewed calls to boost fossil fuel production, famously urging the industry to ‘drill, baby, drill’, and signalling a rollback of electric vehicle incentives. Europe’s sales data, however, point to a different trajectory.
While the margin between electric and petrol cars was slim, the December figures carry strong symbolic weight for an industry in transition.
Gasoline-electric hybrids, including plug-in hybrids that can go limited distances on battery power alone, accounted for nearly 44% of all new registrations during the month.
Overall car sales in the EU, Britain and the European Free Trade Association rose 7.6% to 1.2 million in December and by 2.4% to 13.3 million overall in 2025, hitting their highest volumes in five years though they remained well below pre-pandemic levels, ACEA data showed.
Europe doubles down on electrification
Europe’s steady move towards electrification has been driven by tighter emissions rules, government incentives and a wider range of electric models at more competitive prices. Major markets such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain all reported strong growth in electric vehicle registrations in December.
The shift comes even as Brussels has softened its approach on an outright ban on combustion engine cars. The European Commission recently proposed allowing limited flexibility around its 2035 zero-emissions target, following pressure from automakers concerned about costs and consumer readiness.
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View AllGrowth without Tesla
One striking feature of Europe’s EV boom is that Tesla is no longer driving it. Despite the overall surge in electric vehicle sales, Tesla’s registrations fell 20.2% in the month, while those of BYD surged 229.7%, according to ACEA data.
Tesla’s slide underscores a broader shift in Europe’s EV market, where buyers are increasingly spoilt for choice and price sensitivity has risen amid a weak economic backdrop.
A contrast with Trump’s emphasis on oil and gas production
Europe’s electric milestone stands in contrast to the political debate in the United States, where Trump’s renewed emphasis on oil and gas production has cast uncertainty over the future of EV subsidies and climate policy.
The divergence could shape global investment flows, with automakers and battery makers increasingly prioritising Europe and Asia over the US if policy support weakens there.
For now, Europe’s December data offer a clear message: even without Tesla leading the charge, and despite political pushback elsewhere, the shift towards electric mobility is gaining irreversible momentum.
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