More than 16 European countries recorded battery-electric vehicle adoption rates above 20% in November, according to data showed by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
In nine of these countries, the rate reached 25%, which indicates that one in every four vehicles registered in those markets was fully electric.
Electric vehicle adoption in Europe has been driven by ambitious zero-emission targets for the coming decade and various national incentives aimed at encouraging purchases.
Although some of these policies are being phased out in several markets, it is important to note that many never included direct purchase subsidies.
Instead, most relied on registration tax exemptions or reductions, allowing more affordable prices.
Norway and Denmark
Norway has reached a combined market share of over 95% in the first months of 2025, despite a decline in November, when it reached only 84.6%.
The Scandinavian market, which is near completion of its ambitious target of having all new vehicles sold be electric by the end of 2025, is implementing a gradual phase-out of incentives in the country.
This includes the beginning of VAT collection on several versions of mid-market vehicles. The tax exemption is set to end in 2027.
In Denmark, EVs currently benefit from a reduced vehicle registration tax. Throughout 2025, customers purchasing electric vehicles paid only 40% of that tax.
While the Danish government previously scheduled to increase the rate of the tax in 2026, under the proposed 2026 Finance Act, it is now expected to remain at 40% for one more year.
Inside the European Union, it has the highest EV adoption rate registered. In Denmark, 73.7% of all vehicle sales last month were fully electric.
Year-to-date, the rate is 67.2% according to the ACEA. In mid-2023, it was below 20%.
The market share of electric vehicles in the Nordic market has jumped 33% year over year.
The Netherlands
According to the ACEA, the Netherlands has a 36.5% EV adoption rate so far in 2025 — which suggests that one in each three vehicles purchased in the country is fully electric.
Earlier this month, official national data from BOVAG revealed that EVs accounted for 48.3% of all vehicles sold last month, a 26.5% growth year over year.
The same data revealed that EVs outperformed hybrids in the market for the first time, as these represented 42% of the market.
According to the EU’s Alternative Fuels Observatory, EV purchase incentives in the Dutch market slowed down in 2025, after the SEPP and SEBA subsidy programs for individuals and businesses ended.
As of 2025, the BEV exemption from the one-time BPM registration tax also ended.
EV owners began paying a flat fee of €667, which remains much lower than the tax applied to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
These reduced rates will gradually increase, with BEVs paying 75% of the standard rate from 2026 to 2029 and 100% from 2030.
Sweden
Between January and November 2025, electric vehicles accounted for 35.9% of all new car registrations in Sweden, according to ACEA — up 4% compared to last year.
Sweden’s EV adoption rate has remained consistently high over the past three years, ranging between 35% and 38%.
Until the end of the year, a SEK 10,000 ($1,100) scrapping bonus is available for people who trade in a fossil-fuel vehicle that is over 15 years old and purchase or lease a battery-electric vehicle in its place.
Starting January 2026, Sweden will introduce a national EV purchase support under EU’s Social Climate Plan, which aims to make EVs more accessible for low- and middle-income households.
This is similar to the incentives Germany is adopting from January 1, after having abruptly halted EV subsidies in late 2023.
Eligible households can receive a monthly subsidy of up to SEK 1,300 ($140) for up to three years when purchasing or leasing a new or used battery-electric vehicle.
Additionally, very low-income households may qualify for a one-time grant of SEK 18,000 ($2,000).
Iceland
In Iceland, EV adoption nearly reached 50% in 2023, before tumbling to half of it in the overall registrations of 2024. It has grown by 55% in 2025, nearly hitting 40%.
Iceland introduced the first incentives on EV purchases in 2023, which included VAT exemptions and reduced registration taxes, which led to a surge in registrations that winded down in the following times.
In 2024, purchase grants of up to ISK 900,000 (about $7,100) were introduced, along the kilometer-based road charge. EVs began paying ISK 6 per km, while plug-in hybrids paid ISK 2.
In a country where about 10,000 to over 20,000 vehicles are sold annually, Iceland has a goal of decarbonizing transportation by 2030.
Other Countries
ACEA data show that Belgium’s EV adoption rate has risen by about 15 percentage points over the past three years.
While the country does not offer direct subsidies for EV purchases, registration tax exemptions vary by region.
For example, in Flanders, zero-emission vehicles are fully exempt from the registration tax.
Year-to-date, new electric vehicles account for 34.4% of all car sales in Belgium, marking a 21% increase compared with last year.
In neighboring Luxembourg, 26.1% of new vehicles sold in 2025 were fully electric, a slight 4% decrease from 2024.
Other European countries with EV adoption rates above 20% include Portugal, the United Kingdom, Austria, and Switzerland.
