Europe’s EV sales surge 26% in 2025 while Tesla faces decline

Electric mobility is on the rise in Europe. Over the last eight months, EV sales have increased by 26% on the continent compared to last year's. However, not every automaker is riding the wave. Tesla, a global leader in EV adoption, is facing declining sales in Europe.

According to the preliminary numbers from DataForce (via Automotive News), the Model Y remains Europe’s best-selling EV even though its sales are slipping. Between January and August 2025, only 83,314 units of the car were sold, a significant drop of 34% from last year. The Model 3, Europe’s third-best-selling EV, also saw sales decline by 29% with 50,237 units sold in the same period.

While the American automaker remains among the top 10 EV makers in Europe, its sales are actually declining while other brands are growing. The latter includes Volkswagen, which claimed the crown with 16,105 sold units in August, bringing it up 45% year-over-year. Some of its popular models include ID.3, ID.4, and ID.7.

Tesla took the second place in August with 14,245 cars sold, with a 23% drop compared to last year. BMW also came third with 12,546 EVs sold, bringing it up by 7% year-on-year.

Overall, Europe’s EV market remains strong. In August alone, 154,582 EVs were snapped up, accounting for 20% of all new car sales. Analysts note that a 20–25% share is enough to meet the EU’s emissions targets for 2025–2027 and Europe has just reached that milestone.