What share of new cars sold in 2025 were electric?

Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly gaining ground in global car markets, with some countries now seeing the majority of new vehicle sales powered by electricity. According to the International Energy Agency's Global EV Outlook 2026, Norway led the world in 2025, with electric vehicles accounting for 97 per cent of all new cars sold.

Other countries also recorded strong adoption rates, including Denmark at 71 per cent, Sweden at 61 per cent and China at 53 per cent. The global average stood at 25 per cent, highlighting the growing shift away from conventional petrol and diesel-powered vehicles.

The data includes fully battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. In contrast, EV uptake remained lower in some major markets, with the United States at 10 per cent and Japan at just 3 per cent.

The growing popularity of electric vehicles is being driven by technological advancements, expanding charging infrastructure and government incentives aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

In Kenya, efforts to promote electric mobility received a boost after President William Ruto announced that the first 100,000 electric vehicles imported into the country would be exempt from import duty.