These Nations Have the Best EV Sales Among New Cars

EV penetration is the share of plug-in electric vehicles (BEVs + PHEVs) in new car sales. It spans from the high double digits, particularly in the Scandinavian nations to low levels in several large nations which include South Korea and Japan. The US is near the lower end. About 5% of new cars sold in the US are EVs.

High adoption usually comes due to two factors. One is incentives given by the government to move people from gas powered cars to EVs. The US had such an incentive, until September 30, when the $7,500 tax credit expired. Many of the nations in Europe continue to give drivers a reason to convert. According to the AECA, “Most European countries offer fiscal support to stimulate market uptake of electric cars, but these tax benefits and incentives differ widely.” 

The same was true with China, the world’s largest EV market until recently. According to Reuters, “China has sent a clear signal that it is willing to pull the plug on subsidies for its electric vehicle industry after years of big-ticket government support fuelled a boom that has left the world’s second-largest economy saddled with vast oversupply, prompting it to push into global car markets.” At one point, there were over 100 EV companies in China, and there was a fear that the price would cripple even those which were financially healthy. 

Another is whether a nation has a network of charging stations. Most EVs cannot go over 300 miles without a charge. Many vehicles use home chargers, but their value is primarily to commuters. Europe is a region with high public charging stations, The IEA reports, “In Europe, the number of public charging points grew more than 35% in 2024 compared to 2023, to reach just over 1 million. However, there are significant variations across countries due to differing rates of EV adoption and charging infrastructure development. Within the European Union, 11 out of 27 countries saw their public stock of charging points increase by more than 50% in 2024 compared to the previous year.”

Tesla’s charging station network is the largest in the US. It has 2,939. However, in a number of states, it has less than 40. And, state governments, and the US have not stepped in to up this figure. 

Adoption will continue to be uneven. The EV market continues to have several hurdles to overcome. Among them is the distance EVs can go on a charge, and the fact that in colder weather, their engines cannot take a full charge. 

Data is compiled from sources including Ember, IEA Global EV Outlook 2025, EV Volumes, and market reports as of late 2025. EV definition is from the Department of Energy.

Rank	Country	EV Penetration (approx.)	Population (2025 est., millions)	Total new passenger cars sold (2025 est., thousands)
1	Norway	95–100%	5.5	~90–100
2	Singapore	>40%	6.0	~30–40
3	Vietnam	~40%	100	~300–400
4	Denmark	~60–65%	5.9	~150–170
5	Sweden	~55–60%	10.5	~280–300
6	China	>50%	1,425	~25,000–28,000
7	Netherlands	~45–50%	17.8	~350–400
8	Thailand	~20%	71	~600–700
9	Iceland	~50–60% (high BEV focus)	0.38	~15–20
10	Finland	~45–50%	5.6	~90–110

Notes:

• Norway continues to lead globally, effectively reaching near-100% zero-emission new sales in 2025 due to long-standing incentives.
• Emerging surges in Southeast Asia (Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand) are driven by affordable Chinese imports, local policies, and manufacturers like VinFast.
• China dominates in absolute volume but ranks lower in penetration percentage compared to smaller leaders.
• Total car sales estimates are approximate, based on global figures (~88–90 million light vehicles worldwide in 2025) and market shares; passenger cars are a subset.
• Populations are mid-2025 estimates from UN/World Bank data.

These figures reflect the rapid shift in 2025, with emerging markets accelerating adoption faster than some traditional leaders.

EV penetration refers primarily to the percentage of new car sales that are electric, as this is the standard metric for adoption rate (rather than total stock or per capita). Norway remains the undisputed leader due to long-term incentives. Emerging markets like Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand have surged in 2025, driven by affordable imports and local policies, while Nordic countries and China continue strong performance. Data draws from sources including IEA Global EV Outlook 2025, Ember analysis, and market reports up to late 2025, including Cox Automotive.