Global EV Sales Hit 1.9m in October, China Takes 68% Share

China recorded October EV sales of 1.3 million units, down 2% month-on-month but up 6% year-on-year.

Global sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) reached 1.9 million units in October, up 23% from a year earlier but down 9.5% month-on-month, according to data released on Nov. 13 by market research firm Rho Motion.

China remained the dominant driver of global EV demand. The country delivered 1.3 million EVs in October, accounting for 68% of worldwide sales. While sales slipped 2% from September due to seasonal weakness in the broader auto market, they still rose 6% year-on-year, keeping year-to-date growth at 22%.

Demand in China is expected to front-load into the final two months of the year as the full exemption of EV purchase tax expires at the end of 2025. Many automakers have also launched early “year-end” tax-incentive programs, ahead of the policy shifting to a 50% tax exemption starting next year.

In Europe, EV sales reached 372,786 units in October, up 36% year-on-year but 13% lower month-on-month. September’s spike in the U.K., driven by a registration cycle change, inflated the base and contributed to the October pullback.

BEV sales rose 32% year-on-year, while PHEVs surged 47%, supporting a 32% increase across the EU for the first ten months of the year. Germany led growth at 45%, followed by the U.K. at 31%; France slipped 2%, Spain doubled, and Italy posted a 45% gain.

North America saw a sharp reversal. After a tax-credit expiry drove a surge in August and September, U.S. EV sales dropped 41% in October to 100,370 units.

Major BEV manufacturers were hit hard: Ford fell 60%, Hyundai and Kia dropped 77%, Honda plunged 83%, and Subaru’s sales nearly collapsed to zero. The decline has weighed on full-year performance for several brands.

Canada’s EV market also weakened, pressured by reduced incentives and the country’s September suspension of its 2026 EV mandate, keeping demand subdued through 2025.

Globally, EV sales reached 16.5 million units in the first ten months of 2025, up 23% from a year earlier. China sold 10.3 million units, representing more than 60% of the world total.

Europe delivered 3.4 million units, up 32%, while North America reached 1.6 million units, rising only 4%. Other regions sold a combined 1.3 million units, with growth accelerating to 48%.

Despite uneven regional performances, the global EV market remains on a growth trajectory, with China continuing to anchor global demand.