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- Global EV sales surged 29% in the first four months of the year, led by China and Europe.
- North America posted growth of just 5% according to data from Rho Motion.
- China's 35% sales boost was driven by trade-in schemes, while EV sales jumped in Europe too.
EV sales are booming globally — but growth in North America lags the rest of the world.
Global EV sales jumped 29% to 5.6 million in the first four months of the year compared with the same period in 2024, according to data released Wednesday by EV research firm Rho Motion.
In April alone, 1.5 million EVs were sold worldwide.
However, EV sales in North America — the US, China, and Mexico — rose by just 5%, or 600,000 vehicles. Battery electric vehicle sales in the region rose 7%, while plug-in hybrid sales increased only 1%.
Tesla sold 128,100 vehicles in the US in the first quarter of the year, down 8.6% from the same time last year and 21% lower than 2023, per Cox Automotive data.
It remains the biggest EV brand despite its market share falling from 51% to 44% over the past year.
Mexico, meanwhile, was a bright spot, with EV sales nearly doubling. Unlike their American counterparts, Mexican drivers can buy Chinese-made vehicles.
In Europe, stricter emissions targets pushed sales up 25%, with growth of more than 40% in countries including Italy, Spain, and Germany.
"The EU is certainly the success story for EV sales in 2025 so far," said Charles Lester, data manager at Rho Motion.
"In China, that year-on-year sales increase is even greater at 35%, spurred on by the vehicle trade-in scheme."