The electric vehicle (EV) market is no longer a niche story. In just a few years, EVs have gone from early adopters’ garages to becoming a serious contender in global car sales. The International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook 2025 shows that what once felt like a distant future is now shaping daily realities for drivers, automakers, and governments.

Why should you care? Because the shift to EVs is not just about cars. It’s about:

How much you spend at the pump—or on your electricity bill.
The kind of vehicles you’ll see on the road.
The policies shaping jobs, industry, and climate action.

This article unpacks the key findings of the IEA’s latest report in simple terms. You’ll see where EV sales stand today, what’s expected in 2025, how prices are changing, and what challenges could slow things down.

EV Sales Growth (2024 Snapshot)

EV sales hit record highs in 2024. Key points include:

Global sales: About 17 million electric cars were sold in 2024 (over 25% more than 2023), reaching over 20% of global new car sales.
China: China was far ahead, with more than 11 million EVs sold (almost half of all cars sold there). This alone was more than the entire world’s EV sales just two years earlier.
Europe: Sales in Europe stayed strong even as some subsidies ended. Overall, EVs held roughly a 20% share of new car sales in Europe in 2024. Some countries even saw EV shares rise despite lower subsidies.
United States: U.S. EV sales grew about 10% in 2024, so that over one in ten new cars sold there was electric. Growth was slower than in 2023 but still positive.
Emerging markets: EV markets outside the major regions are growing fast. In Asia and Latin America (excluding China), EV sales jumped by over 60% in 2024 to about 600,000 cars. For example, Brazil that is Latin America’s largest market, more than doubled its EV sales to 125,000 (over 6% of its new cars). Africa’s sales also more than doubled (thanks largely to Egypt and Morocco), but EVs still account for less than 1% of cars there.

Each of these regions is shaping up as a market leader. China leads by volume, Europe by policies, the U.S. by gradual incentives, and new markets by rapid percentage growth.

Outlook for 2025

The IEA projects even more EV growth in 2025:

Worldwide: EV sales in 2025 are expected to exceed 20 million that is roughly one in four new cars. In early 2025 sales were already 35% higher than a year before.
China: Strong policies (like trade-ins for old cars) and falling EV prices mean China should keep growing. Sales could reach about 60% of all new cars by 2025.
Europe: Tougher emission standards in the EU and UK will push EVs. Europe is on track for electric cars to reach about 25% of its market in 2025. Even with some flexibility for automakers, first-quarter 2025 sales were up over 20%, driving this expectation.
United States: U.S. growth depends on policy. If current tax credits stay in place (which as things stand end Sep 30), EVs could be about 11% of U.S. car sales in 2025.
Other markets: Emerging markets outside China could see 50% growth (to about 1 million EVs) in 2025. Many of these gains come from inexpensive Chinese-made EVs.

In short, IEA expects global EV share to keep rising in 2025 – led by China and Europe, with big jumps in Asia, Latin America and elsewhere.

Read more: China Leads the EV Race. Is the Rest of the World Falling Behind?

Price Trends and Affordability

EV prices are falling, but they still often cost more than gasoline cars in many countries. Highlights from the report:

Higher upfront cost: On average in 2024, battery electric cars were still more expensive than similar gasoline cars. For example, in Germany the typical EV cost about 20% more than an equivalent petrol car. In the United States the gap was around 30%. This higher price can slow adoption.
China’s advantage: In China, the situation is different. Two-thirds of electric cars sold there in 2024 were actually cheaper than their gasoline counterparts (even before adding subsidies). Chinese manufacturers sell many low-cost models, helping boost sales.
Closing price gaps: In some markets, EVs are reaching price parity with gas cars. Thailand’s average EV now costs about the same as a typical gasoline car. In Brazil, the gap shrank a lot – EVs were only 25% more expensive in 2024 (down from more than 100% higher in 2023). Mexico saw a similar drop (EVs 50% higher versus over 100% before) as Chinese imports grew.
Battery costs: Falling battery prices are key to affordability. In 2024 battery pack costs fell roughly 30% in China and about 10–15% in Europe and the US. Cheaper batteries mean cheaper EVs over time, which will help close the price gap.

Charging Infrastructure

As more EVs hit the road, charging stations are also growing but unevenly. Key trends:

More chargers: The total number of public EV charging points has roughly doubled in the last two years. China and the EU have kept up with EV growth, adding new chargers at a steady pace. In the U.S. and UK (where many people charge at home), public charger installations lagged behind vehicle growth in 2024. This means more cars per charger in those countries.
Fast charging: High-power chargers are expanding fast. Ultra-fast chargers (150 kW and above) grew by about 50% in 2024, and now make up nearly 10% of all public fast chargers. These let drivers recharge much faster on the go.
Regional differences: Europe has built out charging along highways aggressively. Over 75% of EU highways now have a fast charger at least every 50 km, compared to less than half of U.S. highways. In cities, Europe also has more public chargers per EV on average than the U.S. or UK.
Future needs: Even with current growth, many more chargers will be needed. Global EV sales by 2030 could require about a ninefold increase in public charging capacity. In other words, we’ll need many more stations worldwide to keep up with the expected EV fleet.
Smart charging: New chargers are getting “smart” features. Smart chargers connect to the internet and can be controlled remotely or automatically. For example, the UK now requires all new home EV chargers (installed since 2022) to have smart functionality. The EU will require all new or renovated public chargers (from 2024) to support smart charging.

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Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Electric buses and trucks are also seeing rapid growth and are becoming more competitive:

Electric trucks: Worldwide truck sales for EVs jumped ~80% in 2024, reaching about 2% of all medium/heavy trucks. China’s market dominates as it sold 75,000 electric trucks in 2024, over 80% of the global total. Sales in Europe and the U.S. were relatively flat. Many more models are now available: from under 70 battery-electric truck models in 2020 to over 400 in 2024, increasing the number of applications that can be met by electric trucks.
Truck costs: Electric trucks can already cost less to operate, especially in China. For example, some Chinese EV trucks have a lower total cost of ownership than diesel trucks today. Globally, EV trucks still have higher purchase prices (about 2–3 times diesel), but their better efficiency and cheaper energy make up for it in use. The IEA expects that by 2030, battery-electric trucks in Europe and the U.S. will reach cost parity with diesel for long-haul operations (as they have in China). This means over time fleets may choose electric trucks for long-distance routes.
Electric buses: EV bus sales grew about 30% in 2024, with over 70,000 electric buses sold globally. China is the largest market, but its share of world sales has fallen to under 70% (it was ~99% in 2017). Europe is now the second-largest market: sales in Europe rose ~15% in 2024, giving EVs about a 13% share of all new buses. Several countries (like Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands) now have city bus fleets that are over 40% electric. Electric buses tend to have strong economics (lower fuel and maintenance costs) and many cities offer finance schemes to cut upfront costs.

Overall, heavy-duty electrification is accelerating. The growing number of models and improving total costs are making electric trucks and buses a real option for fleets.

Risks and Uncertainties

IEA notes several factors that could slow EV adoption if conditions change:

Trade and policy shifts: New tariffs or trade limits (for example on Chinese EVs or parts) could raise EV prices. Changes in industrial policy could also disrupt supply chains. Higher tariffs or duties might make cars more expensive.
Economic slowdown: If global economic growth slows, fewer people will buy cars (gas or electric). In that case, overall car sales could dip. EV uptake might slow too, though the share of EVs among fewer cars might hold up better.
Oil prices: Very low oil prices reduce the savings from not buying gasoline. The IEA warns that if oil stays cheap, it could dampen one advantage of EVs (fuel savings). However, even at $40 per barrel, EV owners still save a lot on fuel (especially if charging at home).

In sum, these risks (trade wars, weak economy, low oil) could curb vehicle purchases overall. The report suggests they threaten total car sales more than the share of EVs. In China, strong government support and competitive EV prices should help weather such challenges. In Europe, long-term CO₂ targets also keep EV uptake on track. Even if surprises happen, experts expect EV growth to continue in the coming years.

Electric vehicles are reshaping our roads and our energy use. This rapid growth raises many questions for everyday life. Will your next car be electric? Chances are increasing. You may see more charging stations in your town, new electric models at dealerships, and lower emissions in the air. Communities will need to plan for these changes from upgrading the power grid to offering workplace charging.

Think about your own neighbourhood or commute: with EVs becoming cheaper to run over time, you could save money on fuel. With more grid-powered cars, local energy use changes too. Electric trucks and buses could make public transport quieter and cleaner.

IEA’s outlook shows EV adoption is broadening and accelerating. That means in the next few years, shifts in technology, policy and prices will touch us all. As consumers and citizens, reflecting on how EVs affect our lives – cleaner air, new jobs, and different travel habits is an important part of this transition.

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