UK Surpasses Germany to Become Europe's Largest Pure Electric Vehicle Market
Data shows that the UK registered nearly 382,000 pure electric vehicles in 2024, surpassing Germany to become the largest pure electric vehicle (BEV) market in Europe for the year.
According to data released by the German Automobile Authority on Monday, the registration of electric vehicles in Germany fell by more than a quarter in 2024, to 380,609 units.
The surge in electric vehicle sales in the UK is related to policy, as automakers attempt to meet the country's electric vehicle sales requirements, which stipulate that the sales of pure electric vehicles must account for 22% of the UK's total sales in 2024. Failure to comply with the regulations can result in fines of up to £15,000 per vehicle.
According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), electric vehicles accounted for 19.6% of the total new passenger car market in the UK in 2024, with 1,952,778 units registered, of which nearly one-fifth (381,970 units) were pure electric vehicles. This proportion is higher than the 16.5% in 2023 but still below the 22% target. In 2025, the UK's target for the proportion of electric vehicles is expected to increase to 28%.
Information shows that Germany's total electric vehicle sales first surpassed Norway in 2019, becoming Europe's largest electric vehicle market. Norway currently has the highest electric vehicle penetration rate globally. It was found that in 2024, Norway's first-time registration of new passenger cars was approximately 128,700 units, a year-on-year increase of 1.4%, of which pure electric vehicle sales were about 114,400 units, accounting for as much as 89%.
