Volkswagen Overtakes Tesla as Best-Selling Electric Vehicle Manufacturer in Europe
The European electric vehicle market has witnessed a historic change in leadership during the course of 2025. After years of enjoying an untouchable status, Tesla has officially lost its crown as the region’s best-selling electric manufacturer. The German automotive giant Volkswagen has surged ahead to claim the top spot on the sales charts. Data compiled by Dataforce and reported by “Automotive News” confirms this significant shift in the industry hierarchy.
Volkswagen managed to sell a total of 274,417 fully electric vehicles across Europe throughout the last year. This impressive result reflects a massive 56 percent growth compared to the company’s performance in 2024. Tesla meanwhile faced a challenging period as its delivery figures dropped to 238,765 units. This represents a steep 27 percent decrease for the American brand that had previously defined the sector.
The situation presents an interesting paradox regarding individual model popularity versus overall brand strength. The ‘Tesla Model Y’ successfully defended its title as the most popular single electric car in Europe with 151,331 sales. Yet this victory is dampened by the fact that the model’s volume actually fell by 28 percent from the previous year. The ‘Tesla Model 3’ also struggled to maintain its momentum and slipped to 86,261 units sold.
Volkswagen’s ascent to the top is largely attributed to its diverse and expanding portfolio of electric cars. The German manufacturer is benefiting from strong performances across multiple segments rather than relying on a single hit model. The ‘ID.4’ SUV contributed significantly to the total with 80,123 sales while the ‘ID.3’ hatchback added another 78,667 units. The premium ‘ID.7’ sedan saw the most dramatic surge with sales reaching 76,368 units for the year.
The rise of other legacy automakers highlights the increasing competitiveness of the European market beyond just the top two players. BMW claimed the third spot in the manufacturer rankings by delivering 193,186 electric vehicles to customers. Skoda also posted remarkable results and secured fourth place with 172,100 sales after achieving triple-digit growth. The new ‘Skoda Elroq’ was a standout performer and immediately claimed the second spot on the model charts with 94,106 deliveries.
These developments in Europe coincide with broader global trends that are currently reshaping the electric vehicle industry. Tesla has faced similar challenges worldwide and recently lost its global sales lead to the Chinese manufacturer BYD. The European data suggests that the initial wave of demand that once exclusively powered Tesla is settling down. Traditional manufacturers like Volkswagen and its subsidiaries are now successfully capitalizing on their production capacity and established networks.
The year 2025 will be remembered as the moment established European brands successfully countered the American disruptor. Volkswagen has proven that a broad lineup can effectively overcome the popularity of individual bestseller models. The competition is likely to heat up further as other brands like BMW and Audi continue to gain ground.
Please share your opinion on whether Volkswagen can maintain this lead against Tesla in the comments.
