Global NEV Sales Surge 39% in Q1 2025 as China Solidifies Dominance

There is no surprise from the latest report released by TrendForce, a global professional research institute, on the Q1 2025 global new energy vehicle (NEV) sales. China is still leading both BEV and PHEV market. Go through the detailed report with AutoCango!

Overall, the global new energy vehicle (NEV) sales surged to 4.02 million units in Q1 2025, a significant 39% increase YoY, with China accounting for 55% of total volume. NEVs penetration rate stood at 18.4%, especially driven by accelerated electrification and policy incentives.  

China’s Dual Leadership in BEV and PHEV Markets  

In the battery electric vehicle (BEV) segment, BYD, Tesla and Geely led the ranking with a 15.4%, 12.6% and 7.8% market share, respectively. It is worth mentioning that Geely resulted in a BEV sales surge of 443% YoY, bolstered by its Galaxy E5, Xingyuan models and affordable Panda Mini models.

The following 7 brands in the BEV market share top 10 ranking list are: SAIC-GM-Wuling (6.6%), Volkswagen (4.0%), XPENG (3.5%), BMW (3.3%), Xiaomi (2.8%), Leapmotor (2.4%), and Hyundai (2.4%).

Let’s move to Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) segment. BYD command lead in the sector, with a 38.7% of market share, holding a position that is hard to shake. The following 9 brands are accounting for a combined market share of 34.6%.

Challenges and Outlook  

The report issued by TrendForce included a forecast of an annual global NEV sales in 2025 reaching 19.47 million (+19.6% YoY). Though the Q1 sales volume was solid, the U.S. tariffs and EU investigations may still cast a shadow over Chinese NEV export growth.

Will China dominates its NEV supremacy, with continuous tech innovation, supply chain mastery, and policy agility? The answer is six or seven months away, and everyone is expecting it.