VW strikes back: Tesla is no longer the leader of the electric car segment in Europe
Tesla is no longer number one in Europe in terms of electric car sales. According to the results of the first half of 2025, the American carmaker has ceded the leadership to Volkswagen, losing 33% of sales compared to the same period last year. This is evidenced by preliminary data from Data Force on the markets of the European Union, EFTA countries and the UK.
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Between January and June, Tesla sold 108,878 electric cars in the region, while Volkswagen sold 133,465 units - an increase of an impressive 78%. The gap of 24,587 vehicles has put the German brand firmly in first place among electric car manufacturers in Europe.
Top five EV sales in Europe, first half of 2025:
| Place | Brand | Sales | Change to H1 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen | 133 465 | +78% |
| 2 | Tesla | 108 878 | -33% |
| 3 | BMW | 93 576 | +14% |
| 4 | Skoda | 70 947 | +146% |
| 5 | Renault | 63 704 | +58% |
In addition to Volkswagen, BMW, Skoda and Renault showed notable growth. Skoda was particularly successful, increasing sales by 146% thanks to the popularity of the new Elroq and updated Enyaq models. Renault's key driver was the Renault 5 hatchback.
In June, Tesla still led the European market in terms of monthly sales, but it was not enough to stay in first place at the end of the half-year. Moreover, among the top five brands, only Tesla showed a 21 per cent decline in June (32,605 cars). Volkswagen added 9% in the same month, BMW - 16%, Skoda - 189%, Renault - 23%.
Overall, the electric car market in Europe grew by 24% in the first half of 2025, from 944,858 to 1,177,051 cars sold. The Tesla Model Y, Model 3, as well as the Volkswagen ID.4, ID.7 and ID.3 remain among the most popular models.
Source: InsideEVs