Updated on 19 October 2026. More than 20 million electric cars were sold worldwide in 2025, 20% more than in 2024, and one in four new cars sold was electric, according to the International Energy Agency's Global EV Outlook 2026. China sold more than 13 million, about 60% of the world total. Chile sold 8,754 plug-in cars, according to ANAC.
This ranking brings together electric car sales by country in 2025, using IEA figures, which count both battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV) as electric. Conventional hybrids, which do not plug in, are not included.
Ranking of electric car sales by country in 2025
The IEA publishes exact or rounded figures for the main markets. This table ranks countries with a sales figure published in the Global EV Outlook 2026; some large markets, such as the United Kingdom and France, are reported only as market share or by car type and appear further down:
| Country | Electric cars sold in 2025 | Sales share | Change vs. 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | More than 13 million | ~55% | Under +20% |
| United States | ~1.5 million | ~10% | Slight decline |
| Germany | 850,000 (record) | ~30% | +50% |
| Türkiye | ~240,000 | Over 20% | More than doubled |
| South Korea | Over 200,000 | 11% | +65% |
| Brazil | 180,000 | 9% | — |
| India | 165,000 | ~4% | +75% |
| Thailand | ~140,000 | ~25% | +70% |
| Japan | Just over 100,000 | Under 3% | Flat |
| Uruguay | 13,500 | ~30% | More than doubled |
| Chile | 8,754 (ANAC) | 2.8% (ANAC) | — |
Europe sold 4.2 million electric cars, 28% of the market and one million more than in 2024. The United Kingdom sold nearly half a million battery electric cars, 23% of the market, and more than one in three new cars was electric once plug-in hybrids are included. Norway remains the extreme case: about 97% of new cars were electric.
Countries with the highest share of electric cars
Volume and share tell different stories. China leads in volume, but several smaller countries have a much higher proportion of electric cars among new sales:
| Country or region | Electric share of 2025 sales | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Norway | ~97% | IEA |
| China | ~55% | IEA |
| Vietnam | ~40% | IEA |
| United Kingdom | Over 33% (BEV + PHEV) | IEA |
| Germany | ~30% | IEA |
| Uruguay | ~30% | IEA |
| Europe (total) | 28% | IEA |
| France | ~25% | IEA |
| Thailand | ~25% | IEA |
| Costa Rica | 17% | IEA |
| Indonesia | 15% | IEA |
| Australia | ~15% | IEA |
| South Korea | 11% | IEA |
| United States | ~10% | IEA |
| Brazil | 9% | IEA |
| Mexico | Over 7% | IEA |
| Chile | ~4% (IEA) / 2.8% (ANAC) | IEA and ANAC |
| Japan | Under 3% | IEA |
China, the country that sells the most electric cars
China sold more than 13 million electric cars in 2025. In 11 of the 12 months, more than half of the new cars sold in the country were electric, compared with five months in 2024. Its electric fleet reached about 44 million vehicles, around 13% of all its cars, according to the IEA.
Chinese growth slowed (below 20%, after share gains of about 10 points a year between 2020 and 2024), partly due to a temporary pause in its trade-in scheme. Even so, its industrial dominance is total: Chinese manufacturers produced 60% of the electric cars sold worldwide, and European and North American makers about 15% each. Many of those cars already reach Chile, as we explain in Chinese electric cars in Chile.
The fastest-growing markets and those that fell back
Outside China, Europe and the United States, about 2 million electric cars were sold in 2025, almost 50% more than in 2024. Southeast Asia passed half a million and more than doubled its sales: in Vietnam, about 40% of new cars were electric. Türkiye also more than doubled its sales, to about 240,000.
At the other end, the United States sold slightly less than in 2024: its fourth-quarter sales fell 45% year on year, and the share dropped to 6% to 7% in that quarter. In Canada, sales fell more than 30% and the share dropped from about 17% to 11%, according to the IEA. Japan was flat, with just over 100,000 electric cars and under 3% of the market.
Electric car sales in Latin America
Latin America sold more than 350,000 electric cars in 2025, 75% more than in 2024, according to the IEA. Plug-in hybrids made up close to half of sales, up from 40% the year before. Almost all the cars come from China: in Brazil and Mexico, about 85%.
| Country | 2025 sales | Share | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 180,000 | 9% (6.5% in 2024) | ~85% made in China |
| Mexico | Tripled | Over 7% (~2% in 2024) | PHEV sales up sevenfold |
| Uruguay | 13,500 | ~30% | More than doubled |
| Costa Rica | — | 17% (15% in 2024) | — |
| Chile | 8,754 (ANAC) | ~4% (IEA) / 2.8% (ANAC) | Quadrupled between 2023 and 2025 (IEA) |
| Argentina | Under 2,000 | — | — |
Uruguay is the region's most striking case: with about 30% electric cars among new sales, it is on a par with Germany or the United Kingdom. Brazil is the largest market by volume and sixth in the world ranking among countries with a published figure.
Where Chile stands in electric car sales
In 2025 Chile sold 8,754 plug-in cars (battery electric and plug-in hybrid), 2.8% of the light vehicle market, according to the National Automotive Association of Chile (ANAC). The IEA estimates a share of close to 4% and notes that sales quadrupled between 2023 and 2025. The gap between the two figures may reflect different criteria on which vehicles are counted.
2026 is moving faster. ANAC had forecast about 12,000 plug-in sales for the whole year, and that figure was already passed in August, when plug-ins made up 6.2% of year-to-date sales. The Tesla Model Y leads the model ranking, as we detail in the best-selling electric cars in Chile. Prices are in electric car prices in Chile.
What comes in 2026
The IEA projects that about 23 million electric cars will be sold worldwide in 2026, approaching 30% of new car sales, driven by the energy crisis that pushed up fuel prices, according to its May statement.
| Global indicator | 2025 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Electric cars sold | More than 20 million | IEA |
| Share of sales | 25% | IEA |
| Battery electric (BEV) share | 65% of electric sales | IEA |
| Oil displaced | 1.2 million barrels per day | IEA |
| Total spending on electric cars | ~US$860 billion | IEA |
| 2026 sales projection | ~23 million | IEA |
Methodology and source
Sales figures by country come from the trends chapter of the IEA's Global EV Outlook 2026, published in May 2026, which reports many rounded figures (“more than”, “about”). Where the IEA reports only a percentage or a growth rate, we say so. Chile's figure is from ANAC's December 2025 report on zero- and low-emission vehicles. The cover chart shows only countries with a published sales figure, so it is not a complete ranking of all countries.
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See advertising optionsFrequently asked questions
Which country sells the most electric cars?
China, with more than 13 million in 2025, about 60% of global sales, according to the IEA.
How many electric cars were sold worldwide in 2025?
More than 20 million, one in four new cars.
Which country has the highest share of electric cars?
Norway, where about 97% of new cars sold in 2025 were electric.
How many electric cars were sold in Chile?
8,754 plug-ins in 2025, according to ANAC, and more than 12,000 between January and August 2026.
How often is this ranking updated?
The IEA publishes the Global EV Outlook every year, between April and May. We will update this ranking on this same page with each new edition.
How to cite this data
Energía Futura (2026). Electric car sales by country 2026: world ranking and where Chile stands. Based on IEA, Global EV Outlook 2026, and ANAC data. Available at https://energiafutura.cl/en/news/electric-car-sales-by-country-2026-world-ranking-chile. The cover chart may be reproduced with credit to Energía Futura and a link to this page.
