Segment: Remarketing

Which EV models and brands have been successful so far in 2025?

Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) led plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) in the electric vehicle (EV) mix nine months into 2025. But which brands and models led the global market? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus explores the data.

The global EV market recorded 15,183,434 sales between January and September, according to the latest data from EV Volumes. This equated to a year-on-year increase of 30%.

This was helped by a 23.2% uptick in September when 2,122,838 plug-in units were delivered. As a result, the market stabilised after February’s 51.6% increase was followed by six months of shrinking sales growth.

Across the first nine months of 2025, EV growth and volumes have been driven by BEVs. The powertrain recorded 9,755,151 sales in the period, up 33.3% year on year. Meanwhile, PHEVs saw a delivery increase of 24.6% with 5,428,283 models hitting the roads. EV Volumes includes range-extended electric vehicles in this powertrain category.

BEV sales grew by 30.6% in September alone, with the powertrain’s biggest volume month of 2025 so far. This helped to pull up the overall EV market. Meanwhile, the PHEV performance continued to slide, with a 10.5% increase recorded in September, the lowest result for the powertrain so far in 2025.

The monthly BEV delivery total has cleared one million sales every month since March. PHEVs, on the other hand, broke the 700,000-volume mark for the first time in 2025 during September. All-electric cars represented 64.2% of the EV market between January and September, up 1.5 percentage points (pp) year on year.

Battle of the brands

BYD enjoyed a wide lead in the global EV market across the first nine months of 2025. It accounted for 19.3% of all plug-in vehicle sales as its volumes grew by 15.3% to 2,928,446 units. It took more than twice the market share of its next closest competitor, Tesla.

However, this is not a straightforward success story for the Chinese carmaker. As the market becomes increasingly competitive, BYD’s share shrank by 2.5pp compared with the first nine months of 2024.

BYD does offer a huge number of both BEVs and PHEVs, which have consistently placed high up the rankings. The brand offers seven of the top 10 best-selling PHEVs between January and September.

The BYD Song Plus, also known as the Seal U, came first in the PHEV table three quarters into 2025. It recorded 262,445 sales and took a 4.8% share. It was followed by the BYD Qin Plus with a 3.5% share and 192,479 sales. The Song Pro was next with 175,263 deliveries and 3.2% of the market.

Then came the Seal 6 in fourth with a 3.1% share and 167,577 sales. The Qin L was sixth with 132,794 sales and 2.4% of the market. The Destroyer 05, also known as the Seal 05, finished seventh with a 2.2% share and 120,790 sales. The Song L came eighth with 2% of the PHEV market thanks to 110,129 deliveries.

BYD’s BEV bump

While capturing fewer spaces in the global BEV top 10, BYD still held more spots than any other brand. Between January and September, it took four positions in the table. The BYD Seagull, also known as the Dolphin Surf, was the world’s fourth most popular all-electric model. It recorded 292,579 sales with a 3% market share.

The Yuan Plus, also known as the Atto 3, came seventh with a 1.9% share after selling 184,300 units. The Yuan Up, otherwise known as the Atto 2, came eighth with a 1.8% share and 174,137 deliveries. The Dolphin sat in ninth with 162,744 sales, capturing 1.7% of the global BEV market.

BYD’s powertrain split between January and September was well balanced, with PHEVs making up 50.2% of its EV sales. Accordingly, its two leading models were the Seagull BEV and the Song Plus PHEV. The former accounted for 10% of its EV sales, while the latter made up 9%.

A contrasting brand

The second-best-selling EV brand could not be more of a contrast with BYD. Instead of selling a wide range of models, evenly split across electric powertrains, Tesla offers only a handful of BEVs.

The Model Y continues to lead the carmaker’s sales figures, making up 66.4% of its deliveries in the first nine months of 2025. The Model 3 followed not far behind, accounting for nearly a third of its sales at 30.4%. Meanwhile, the Cybertruck, Model X and Model S contributed a fraction towards the brand’s total.

Tesla controlled the top two positions in the global BEV market nine months into 2025. The Model Y accounted for an unchallenged 8.3% of all-electric car sales, with 808,173 units delivered between January and September. Meanwhile, Model 3 followed in a distant second with a 3.8% hold and 369,756 sales.

Led by these popular BEVs, Tesla sold 1,216,655 units in the first nine months of 2025. This meant the BEV-only brand made up 8% of the global EV market, staying ahead of its competitors. However, it also saw increasing competition as its share dropped by 3.1pp compared to one year prior.

Third for Geely

BYD and Tesla’s market share was eroded by the likes of Geely in the first three quarters. The brand’s results, which include Galaxy, put it third in the global EV ranking between January and September. The carmaker took a 5.6% share of the market, up by 3.5pp from the same period in 2024.

Geely has enjoyed triple-digit growth in every quarter so far this year. With 844,630 units delivered between January and September, this equated to a sales increase of 238% year on year. However, this was slightly lower than the year-to-date growth of 286.3% recorded in June and 274.6% in March.

The brand’s results leant more heavily towards all-electric propulsion, as 69.8% of its EV sales were of BEV models. Much of this was down to the Geely Gerome Xinguan, which took third in the BEV top 10. It recorded 343,514 deliveries, making up 3.5% of the market. The all-electric car also accounted for 40.7% of the brand’s overall EV sales.

The Galaxy Starship 7 took 10th in the PHEV table in the first nine months of the year. It accounted for 1.8% of the market and 11.8% of the brand’s total deliveries.

Only two models in the PHEV top 10 did not come from BYD or Geely. The Aito M8 finished in ninth, recording 104,327 sales and capturing 1.9% of the market. Above it, the Li Auto L6 took fifth with 135,068 sales and a 2.5% market share.

The brand took 10th in the overall ranking, delivering 312,167 EVs, down 13.8% year on year. Its grip weakened by 1pp accordingly. So, which brands captured the rest of the top 10 EV brand table across the first three quarters of 2025?

The BEVs building global brands

Wuling, including Baojun, sold the fourth largest volume of EVs between January and September. This meant a market share of 3.8%, up by 0.3pp. This was thanks to 576,134 EV sales, up 42.8. Its Wuling Mini took fifth in the global BEV rankings with a 2.9% hold and 287,082 deliveries.

The model was followed by the Xiaomi SU7 in sixth with 2.3% of the BEV market, recording 219,810 deliveries. With a 1.4% share, the Xpeng MO3 climbed to 10th with 131,812 sales. The model has climbed the table since first recording sales in August last year.

This allowed Xpeng to take ninth in the overall EV ranking as it sold 313,258 units overall, up 215.4% year on year. The carmaker saw the second largest increase in market share in the table, up 1.2pp to 2.1%.

Just 0.4pp ahead in eighth was Leapmotor with a 2.5% share and 386,141 sales, up 126.5%. In seventh was another Chinese brand, Chery, having recorded 388,142 deliveries, equating to a year-in-year increase of 132.6%. Its grip on the EV market tightened by 1.2pp to 2.6%.

It drew up close to one of two European brands in the table. In sixth, BMW accounted for 2.6% of all plug-in sales across the world, down 0.8pp. Its sales were only up by 1.9%, with 399,163 EVs delivered.

The only other European brand to land a top 10 spot was Volkswagen in fifth. It claimed 2.8% of the market, up from 2.7% at the same point last year. With sales up by 32% to 419,882 units, it enjoyed slightly better growth than its German competitor. Alongside BYD, Tesla and Li Auto, these brands will need to pull out all the stops to keep their market share from slipping further towards the end of 2025.

Which European used-car markets are performing the best so far in 2025? 

At the end of the third quarter, all of Europe’s big five automotive markets saw used-car transactions grow. However, two countries are in danger of seeing growth turn to decline. Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the latest data.  

Used-car transactions in Spain, Italy, the UK, Germany and France all saw growth in the third quarter of the year. As the big-five European markets report mixed fortunes in the new-car market, their used-car sectors performed more solidly. 

The results also highlight that there is still demand for new petrol and diesel models. This is despite both powertrains suffering widespread declines in new-car markets. Where powertrain breakdowns were available, internal-combustion engine (ICE) transactions continued to dominate. 

Between January and September, all the big five used-car markets were up year on year. However, while some are coasting towards a full-year improvement, others are seeing results balanced on a knife-edge. For France and Germany, a poor fourth quarter could result in used-car transactions dropping across the whole of 2025. 

Spain bounces back 

Spain’s used-car market bounced back in the third quarter. Transactions were up by 7.4% according to Autovista24 calculations based on available data from GANVAM.  

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July saw 193,933 sales, resulting in an 8.6% improvement based on analysis of available data. Like other major used-car markets, August was Spain’s weakest month, with 144,228 transactions taking place, which was up by 1.7%. September proved to be the best month of the quarter, with 182,488 used cars changing hands, an 11.1% rise. 

Spain is currently the best-performing of Europe’s big five new and used-car markets. After a poor second quarter, July to September provided a strong performance to further boost year-to-date totals. 

In that period, used-car transactions improved by 4.4%, based on Autovista24 analysis. In total, 1,548,388 sales took place. While volumes were lower, year-on-year growth was the best of the big five.  

Diesel dominates the market 

Diesel remained the most popular used powertrain in Spain, according to GANVAM. In the first nine months of 2025, 810,120 transactions for the fuel type took place, a decrease of 0.2%.  

Petrol was the second-best performing fuel type. In total, 582,426 used units were sold, a rise of 4.5%.  

In terms of market share, diesel held 52.3% of Spain’s used-car market between January and September, according to Autovista24 calculations. Petrol was some way behind, accounting for 37.6% of transactions. Together, ICE models dominated, with 89.9% of the market. 

However, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales have improved rapidly, with a 50.5% growth in the first nine months of the year, according to GANVAM. In total, 20,169 sales took place in the period, equating to a share of 1.3%. 

‘The data demonstrates that the used-car market is an effective way for consumers to embrace electromobility; a trend that would accelerate by including electric vehicles up to 36 months old in demand incentive programs,’ GANVAM stated. 

Older cars pose a problem 

GANVAM’s data shows that cars aged between one and three years accounted for a quarter of sales in September. These volumes rose by 16% in the month. Meanwhile, models over 15 years old saw their growth rate slow to 6%. However, they represented four out of every 10 transactions.  

‘The prevalence of these models, over 15 years old, in the used-car market demonstrates the urgent need to implement a scrappage incentive program to accelerate progress toward decarbonisation goals,’ GANVAM stated.  

‘Industry associations argue that focusing the decarbonisation strategy solely on electrification, without accompanying it with realistic solutions for removing the oldest and most polluting vehicles, is ineffective, especially considering that 25% of the current vehicle fleet is over 20 years old,’ the association concluded. 

Italy looks to used cars 

While Italy’s new-car market is struggling, its used-car sector has been strong across the first nine months of 2025. The third quarter proved to be the best so far for the market in terms of growth. 

According to data from ANFIA, 1,295,898 transactions took place between July and September. This represented a 6.2% improvement.  

July was the highest volume month, with 504,837 units changing hands. This was a 5.5% rise year on year. August was more stable, with a 0.8% improvement, as 302,501 transactions took place.  

In terms of growth, September was the best month of the year so far. With 488,560 sales, volumes were up by 10.6%, according to ANFIA data. This was a jump of 46,743 passenger cars compared to the same month in 2024. 

Between January and September, 4,144,412 cars changed hands, a 4% rise year on year. In contrast, the country’s new-car market experienced a 2.9% decline in the same period. 

UK remains largest used-car market 

The UK’s used-car market grew by 2.8% in the third quarter of 2025, as 2,021,265 models changed hands. This gave it the highest quarterly volume total of the European big five. 

The latest figures from the SMMT suggest the July to September period was the best third quarter since 2021. It also marked an 11th consecutive quarter of growth, as a healthy new-car market has enabled strong supply. 

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July proved to be the best month, with 693,512 transactions, a 3.7% rise year on year. In total, 24,622 more cars changed hands in the period. August saw a 1.4% increase in sales, with 678,945 transactions.  

Despite being a plate-change month in the new-car market, September continued the trend of being the lowest-volume used-car month of the quarter. Only 648,808 units changed hands in the month. However, this was still up 3.4% year on year. 

Overall, the third quarter was the strongest of the year so far. Between January and September, 6,038,371 transactions took place, a rise of 2.4%.  

Petrol remains on top 

Petrol remained the best-selling powertrain in the used-car market during the quarter. 1,145,148 units were sold, a rise of 1.9% compared to the same period in 2024. 

Diesel transactions fell 2.8% between July and September, with 658,664 sales. Despite this fall, the figures suggest there is still an appetite for the fuel type. The result is in stark contrast to the new-car market, where just 24,934 units were registered in the quarter, a 20.7% decline.  

This registration decline is likely due to limited offerings from carmakers as the technology continues to fall out of favour. While enabling longer distance driving, many drivers look to the used-car market for their diesel models. 

However, the supply of newer models to the used-car market has dropped as registration numbers have fallen. Therefore, many of these transactions are likely coming from older vehicles. This will increase the UK’s car parc age, which currently stands at 9.5 years on average. This has risen from an average of eight years old in 2019. 

In total, 89.2% of all used cars changing hands in the third quarter were powered purely by ICE. This was down slightly year on year.  

Records for EVs 

Full hybrids saw a 30% rise year on year. With 107,727 transactions, the technology increased its used-car market share to 5.3% of the total. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) also had a good quarter, with a 2% rise to 23,480 units and a 1.2% market share. 

However, BEVs were the fastest-growing powertrain. It was the fourth best-selling powertrain in the UK used-car market with 80,614 transactions. This was up 44.4% year on year, with one in 25 buyers going all electric, meaning a 4% market share. 

While this is a record figure for BEVs, the low share highlights early market penetration. Buyers may be interested in new models, but older all-electric vehicles are struggling to inspire. With early battery technology, shorter ranges and possibly depleted energy storage, used BEVs must make a good value-for-money proposition.  

Germany finds stability 

Germany’s used-car market has been on a rollercoaster ride in 2025, much like the country’s new-car registrations. A 1% increase in the third quarter meant that transactions remained stable in the first nine months of the year. 

In the three-month period, 1,678,257 used cars changed hands. This was the strongest quarter of 2025 so far, in terms of both volume and growth. It will likely provide a boost going into the final stretch of the year. 

According to data from the KBA, July was the strongest volume month in the quarter. In total, 603,736 cars were sold, a 1.9% rise compared to July 2024.  

However, August’s 4.4% drop illustrated the country’s automotive struggles. The 514,422 transactions also marked a low point in the year and were down 23,892 units on the same month last year.  

September provided a rebound, with 560,399 sales helping towards a 5.6% improvement in volumes. The 29,594-unit growth helped to eliminate the deficit from August.  

The result meant that between January and September, 4,952,038 used cars changed hands. This was a 0.5% improvement compared to the same period last year. This stability was mirrored in the country’s new-car market, which experienced a small 0.3% decline in the same nine months. 

France finds stability in used-car market 

Like Germany, the French used-car market is in a precarious position. However, recent results suggest the market could have a better end to 2025.  

According to AAA Data, 1,319,676 used-car transactions took place between July and September. This was a 0.6% improvement on the same period in 2024.  

The third quarter is historically the lowest-volume quarter of the year, incorporating the slower summer month of August. Yet the performance provided some positivity for the country’s struggling automotive market.  

July was the worst-performing month of the period, with 489,174 transactions equating to a 3.2% decline year on year. This was the second-worst monthly performance of 2025, after June, with a loss of 16,350 units year on year. However, August saw the market stabilise with a 0.2% improvement and 373,988 sales.  

September helped pull the used-car sector back into growth for the quarter. Volumes rose by 5.3% thanks to 456,514 transactions. This was a difference of 22,810 units, helping to overcome July’s deficit.  

New-car registrations fell by 1.8% in the third quarter, the smallest quarterly decline of the year. Having endured a run of poor results, both August and September saw the country’s market return to growth. 

Across the first three quarters of 2025, the French used-car sector was up by 0.8%, with 4,036,917 transactions taking place.  

Ageing used-car sector 

AAA Data attributes the strong September performance to a rise in the popularity of models over 10 years of age. Transactions in this age group were up by 11%, according to the association.  

This partially covers the shortage of younger used cars. The supply of newer models has been impacted by a struggling new-car market in four of the last five years. 

This was highlighted in the July and August figures from AAA Data. Models less than five years old recorded declines of 15% and 8% respectively. Conversely, sales of cars over 10 years old were up 6% in July and 7% in August.  

It is unlikely that supply will increase anytime soon. From January to September, the country’s new-car market dropped by 6.3%. 

BEV acceleration but diesel dominates 

Another trend in France is the acceleration of used BEV transactions. Transaction volumes of the powertrain improved by 27% in August, according to AAA Data.  

This increased to a 44% rise in September. Its market share jumped to 4%, up by one percentage point month on month.  

However, diesel still dominated France’s used-car sector. It captured44% of transactions in August, while petrol took a 40% market share.  

In May, the French parliament voted to abolish low-emission zones. However, this is yet to be approved, with both houses of Parliament required to pass the law. In addition, it must also be validated by the Constitutional Council. 

This may help the continued dominance of petrol and diesel models. With no requirement to switch to a low, or zero-emission model for urban driving, buyers have more freedom of choice. This means less incentive to switch to a more environmentally-friendly model.  

The Automotive Update: Musk’s mammoth pay package and Europe’s used-car market

How can Elon Musk ensure a record-breaking pay package? What are the results of a new consumer survey? Plus, get up to speed with the latest residual used-car value trends across Europe. Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus goes behind the week’s headlines in The Automotive Update podcast.

In this latest episode, an overview of the big numbers that shaped Elon Musk’s unprecedented trillion-dollar deal. Plus, analysis of Boston Consulting Group’s wide-ranging automotive consumer survey. There is also an exploration of some key technology developments, and a comprehensive overview of the latest trends in Europe’s major used-car markets.

Subscribe to the Autovista24 podcast and listen to previous episodes on Spotify, Apple and Amazon Music.

Musk’s trillion-dollar deal

Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, has gained shareholder approval for a pay package worth $1 trillion, around €863 billion. Over 75% of voters agreed that 400 million additional shares will go to Musk if he can meet certain targets, according to the BBC.

This includes delivering 20 million vehicles, as well as bringing one million self-driving Robotaxis into commercial operation. He must get 10 million subscriptions to Tesla’s ‘Full-Self Driving’ feature and have one million robots in operation.

Financially, the company will need to earn $400 billion in profit while its overall market value must reach $8.5 trillion. Achieving each of these goals will gain the CEO 1% of stock, according to Reuters. This means he will still profit, even if he misses the larger targets. However, Musk will not receive a salary under the deal. 

Major global automotive survey

Boston Consulting Group has published the results of a survey conducted across 10 countries, reaching 9,000 consumers. What Car Buyers Want: A Global Guide for Automotive OEMs highlighted several major buyer trends. 

Key findings included a growing openness towards Chinese cars. In Europe, Spain, Norway and Germany saw 19%, 18% and 16% of respondents open to Chinese models, respectively. Elsewhere, 36% of Brazilians were willing to consider buying one. It also found that younger buyers are embracing digital, with 44% of 18-to-30-year-olds open to buying a car entirely online.

Automotive technology developments

Carizon, a joint venture between Volkswagen (VW) Group’s Cariad and Horizon Robotics, will develop in-house chips. They will process camera and sensor data for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in VW’s next-generation cars destined for the Chinese market. The chips are expected to land within three to five years.

Polestar confirmed it will integrate Google Maps’ live lane guidance into its driver display. A rollout across Polestar 4 models in the US and Sweden is planned in the coming months. 

Xpeng is teaming up with Amap, an arm of Alibaba, to launch a robotaxi service, Reuters reports. Additionally, the carmaker is expected to launch three models, with a trial operation in 2026. Also next year, Waymo is planning to launch in Detroit, Las Vegas and San Diego. 

Europe’s newest car category?

The European Commission is expected to announce a new vehicle category between quadricycles and other cars this December, according to Reuters.

The new category would mean smaller electric vehicles no longer need as much safety equipment and technology as larger models. It is something European carmakers have been pushing for since Chinese brands started gaining ground in the region. 

European used-car market unpicked

The Monthly Market Update revealed persistent trends across Europe’s used-car markets in October. Residual (RVs) values fell both month on month and year on year across many markets. These values were measured as a percentage of retained new-car list price (%RVs) after 36 months and 60,000km.

Values have deflated in recent years following the inflation recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply stalled and demand accelerated. Regional experts expect %RVs to continue declining over the next three years. However, this descent is predicted to slow in 2026 and 2027.

How could tax changes challenge the UK’s fragile new-car market?

The UK saw a small improvement in new-car registrations in October. How could potential government taxation changes challenge this growth? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the market.

The UK’s new-car market remained stable in October, with a small 0.5% rise in deliveries. According to the latest data from the SMMT, 144,948 passenger cars were registered in the month. This was just 660 units more than in October 2024.

While the numbers are comparable, the powertrain split has changed dramatically in the last 12 months. Internal-combustion engine (ICE) models are no longer the dominant force in the monthly figures.

Electrified models, including full hybrids (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), led for the second month in succession.

Across the first 10 months of 2025, UK registrations were up 3.9% with 1,723,120 deliveries. This has been helped by the strong performances in the plate-change months of March and September. These months helped counter five months of declines across the year so far.

The SMMT’s quarterly industry outlook suggests new-car registrations will top two million units for the first time since the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period of 2019. This year is forecast to reach 2.01 million, while the country is expected to see 2.03 million deliveries next year.

Employee Car Ownership challenge

The UK’s new-car market looks set to beat figures from 2019 for the first time since the pandemic. However, there are looming threats that could scupper further recovery in the coming years.

The ending of Employee Car Ownership Schemes (ECOS) is one such challenge. Operated by manufacturers and dealers, these allow employees to buy new cars at reduced prices. This enabled lower monthly repayments and at a low rate of interest.

The Autumn Budget of 2024 laid out plans to end ECOS by April 2026. However, this date has now been pushed back to October 2026. These vehicles will now be categorised as company cars and taxable benefits.

According to the government, this will add £275 million (€312 million) to the exchequer between 2026 and 2027. It states that an estimated 76,000 individuals will become liable for the income tax associated with the benefit in kind (BIK).

‘These individuals may now need to pay the appropriate benefit-in-kind charge or seek an alternative arrangement with their employer. Impacted employees may choose to retain the current vehicle through a normal car scheme, choose a lower-emitting (lower tax) vehicle or choose to go without a company car altogether,’ the government stated.

Revenue lost

The SMMT argues that plans to end ECOS will impact the UK’s automotive market. It could prevent employees from accessing cars at a more affordable price point, while also challenging electric vehicle (EV) adoption. As these cars are expensive, ECOS puts them within reach of many industry workers.

‘With around 100,000 cars supplied via ECOS a year – equivalent to around 5% of the annual new car market – such a step would depress growth and seriously impact the nearly new and used markets,’ the SMMT stated.

‘More than £1 billion in revenue would be lost to industry and 5,000 manufacturing jobs put at risk. Additionally, the Treasury would incur a £500 million hit from lost VAT and Vehicle Excise Duty receipts. The total cost would be more than double that allocated to the Electric Car Grant (ECG), effectively wiping out the growth it is intended to stimulate,’ the body added.

Pay per mile plans for BEVs

A further threat could be announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget. The Telegraph reported that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to unveil plans for per-mile road charging, targeting BEV drivers. Drivers of hybrids also look to be affected by the additional cost, but to a lesser extent.

The plans would see all-electric owners pay 3p per mile, with annual payments based on estimates. Should these prove inaccurate, top-up payments would be required, or any overspend would be rolled into the following year. The plans would help balance lost fuel duty revenue.

According to the publication, the average BEV driver would pay an extra £250 a year. The move looks to be framed as one of fairness, with owners of petrol and diesel cars paying £600 on average in fuel duty.

Yet the plans could distort the total cost of ownership on BEVs, especially for those without off-street parking. The government is reducing red tape, allowing councils to install gullies between properties and roads, enabling on-street parking and charging. However, this requires the ability for drivers to park outside their homes. It does not consider those living in flats, without access to dedicated parking spaces.

In this instance, drivers using only rapid or ultra-rapid chargers would pay around 24p per mile for the energy they use, according to the RAC. Using a home charger, the RAC indicates a charging cost of 8p a mile. With the government plans, 3p would be added on top of every mile. Meanwhile, with fuel duty included, drivers of petrol cars pay around 15p a mile.

Increased ownership challenge

‘We recognise the need for a new approach to motoring taxes, but at such a pivotal moment in the UK’s EV transition, this would be entirely the wrong measure at the wrong time,’ commented the SMMT.

‘Introducing such a complex, costly regime that targets the very vehicles manufacturers are challenged to sell would be a strategic mistake. It would deter consumers and further undermine industry’s ability to meet zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets, with significant ramifications for perceptions of the UK as a place to invest. A smarter, fair and future-ready taxation system requires a fundamental rethink, one that must be done in full partnership with the industry and other stakeholders,’ the body added.

The automotive market is already tackling the introduction of vehicle excise duty (VED) for electric cars this year. Additionally, many models are now eligible for the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS), increasing their annual tax cost.

The ECG, introduced earlier this year, has also had a small impact on BEV registrations. Only two cars, the Ford Puma Gen-E and Ford E-Tourneo Courier, are eligible for the full £3,750 subsidy. 38 other models qualify for the lower £1,500 offer.

For the third time this year, BEVs made up more than a quarter of registrations in the UK during October. However, the 25.4% share is still below the ZEV mandate target of 28% for 2025. This will rise to 33% in 2026.

But any change in taxation around BEVs, either with the removal of ECOS or the introduction of per-mile charging, could influence buyer decisions around the technology. Once seen as an affordable way of motoring, these changes could push some models out of reach for many drivers.

Have BEVs benefited from incentives?

Registrations of BEVs increased by 23.6% in October, with 36,830 new units taking to UK roads. This was the second full month of the ECG. It was announced in July, and the first models were revealed in early August.

The volume growth, while encouraging, is the fourth-lowest total of 2025 so far. The share of 25.4%, up 4.7 percentage points (pp), is encouraging. However, it may have more to do with the collapse in the petrol market. While the fuel still dominates figures, it has seen volumes plunge each month.

BEV market growth is also being outpaced by PHEVs. Damaging the benefits of all-electric ownership could tip the balance for a powertrain which is already walking a tightrope.

In the first 10 months of 2025, BEV registrations improved by 28.9%. In total, 386,244 all-electric models left showrooms, an increase of 86,511 units. However, this was down from a peak of 34.6% in June. The year-to-date improvement has slipped steadily downwards since the ECG was announced.

Across this period, BEVs took a 22.4% market share. This is up from 18.1% at the same point last year, but the 4.3pp difference is lower than the 5pp increase recorded in June.

PHEVs’ impressive growth

While the BEV market performs well, its pace of growth is being outpaced by PHEVs. In October, registrations for the powertrain increased by 27.2% year on year, as 17,601 new cars were delivered. However, this only equates to a difference of 3,796 units.

The result gave PHEVs a 12.1% market share in the month, up 2.5pp compared to October 2024. Once again, the technology ended the period close to HEVs in terms of volume and share.

Between January and October, PHEV deliveries increased by 37.1%, with 190,240 registrations. The powertrain gained 2.6pp on its 2024 market share, ending the period accounting for 11% of all registrations.

Combining BEV and PHEV figures, the electric vehicle (EV) market saw volumes improve by 24.7% in October with 54,431 registrations. This allowed for a 7.4pp jump in market share to 37.6%.

Across the first 10 months of the year, EVs were up by 31.5% with 576,484 deliveries. Having taken a third of the market for the first time in September, the technology maintained this trend with a 33.5% share, up 7.1pp.

Electrified models lead UK figures again

The UK counts hybrid registrations differently from other major European markets. Rather than merging mild hybrids with HEVs, it splits them into their respective petrol and diesel categories.

With this in mind, HEV deliveries grew by 2.1% in October, with 19,250 units delivered to customers. This equated to a rise of just 388 cars, compared to the same period last year. The small volume improvement meant the HEV market share remained stable at 13.3%, representing a 0.2pp rise year on year.

From January to October, HEVs saw 8% growth, with 241,919 units taking to the country’s roads. This represented a 14% market share, up 0.5pp compared to the same period in 2024.

Combining HEVs with EVs reveals that for the second time, electrified models led the monthly registration figures over ICE. In total, 73,681 models were delivered, a 17.9% rise, equating to 11,185 more units. This gave the technology a 50.8% market share, up 7.5pp.

However, this slim lead was not enough to change the status quo in the year-to-date figures. With 818,403 registrations, electrified volumes were up 23.5%. They held a 47.5% market share, up from 39.9% at the same point in 2024.

With two reporting periods of 2025 left, a large effort is needed for electrified models to lead the market. Between September and October, the year-to-date share only increased by 0.3pp. However, it does suggest that 2026 could be the first year to see ICE succumb to the electrified sector.

ICE holding on in year to date

The petrol market has been in freefall for some time. Despite a rare instance of growth in September, normal service resumed in October, with an 11.6% decline in volumes. In total, 64,360 petrol cars were delivered, down by 8,471 units. The powertrain still led the overall UK market with a 44.4% share, but this was down by 6.1pp year on year.

This performance added to the year-to-date drop the fuel type is experiencing. Between January and October, petrol deliveries were down 8.5% with 814,154 registrations. The market share of 47.2% is still dominant, but down by 6.4pp.

Diesel’s decline also continued in October. With 6,907 units, volumes were down 22.9% year on year. The 4.8% hold of total registrations was the second-lowest of 2025, and 1.4pp down on last year.

Over the first 10 months of 2025, diesel has seen its volumes decrease by 15.1%, with 90,563 units delivered. This left it with a 5.3% market share, down 1.1pp.

Combining the two powertrains, the ICE market fell 12.9% in October as just 71,267 units made it to UK roads. This was a drop of 10,525 units, leaving electrified models to help the new-car market to its slight growth. The performance left the sector with a 49.2% market share.

However, ICE still led across the first 10 months of 2025. With 904,717 registrations, volumes were down 9.2%. But the technology still held 52.5% of the total market, suggesting it will end the year as the leading powertrain group.

Monthly Market Update: Which trends defined European used-car markets in October?

How did European used-car markets perform during October? Was supply and demand balanced? Were residual values (RVs) stable? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus explores the trends with experts across Europe.

October saw a continuation of this year’s major used-car market trends across Europe. After 36 months and 60,000km, RVs presented as a percentage of retained new-car list price (%RV) fell in all observed countries. This includes Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

While declines did not exceed 0.4 percentage points (pp) compared with September, the year-on-year changes were more pronounced. Switzerland saw the greatest drop compared with October 2024, with %RVs down 4.3pp. However, values have been normalising in Europe after COVID-19 halted supply and inflated RVs.

Compared with October 2024, five countries saw the active-market volume index (AMVI) record better results than the sales-volume index (SVI) in their respective locations. This indicates that the supply of 24-to-48-month-old cars outpaced demand across many used-car markets. This trend was less pronounced when comparing October 2025 with September 2025.

However, in Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, these used cars took longer to sell on average month on month. Only Switzerland and the UK saw slightly faster sales rates, though these were marginal improvements of 0.1 and 0.3 days.

Of the observed markets, Switzerland saw the longest average time in stock at 78.5 days. Meanwhile, the UK recorded the fastest turnaround time at 34.4 days. The country is recording a unique trend with battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) taking the smallest number of days to sell. Meanwhile, full hybrids (HEVs) moved the fastest in Austria, France, Spain and Switzerland.

Austria’s persistent used-car headwinds

Austria’s SVI for two-to-four-year-old passenger cars rose by 5.1% in October compared to September. However, year on year, the index declined by 6.6%, reflecting persistent market headwinds.

The AMVI also increased month on month by 5.5%. Yet, compared to October 2024, this was down by 4.1%, indicating a continued supply contraction within this age bracket.

‘The average time needed to sell a used car in October remained stable at 64.9 days. Year on year, this metric improved by 2.1 days, suggesting a modest acceleration in turnover,’ explained Robert Madas, Autovista Group’s regional head of valuations.

Among powertrains, HEVs remained the fastest-selling at 57.5 days, closely followed by diesel at 58 days. Then came petrol vehicles at 62.2 days and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) at 73.7 days. BEVs continued to take the longest time to sell at 84.8 days.

The %RV of 36-month-old cars at 60,000km declined slightly to 47.5% in October. This marked a 0.1pp drop from September and a 2.5pp year-on-year decrease. In absolute terms, the trade RV rose to €22,162.1. This was up 0.8% month on month, and an improvement of 3.1% year-on-year.

HEVs retained the highest trade value at 50.3%, followed by petrol cars at 49.8%. Then came diesel models with 48.4% and PHEVs with 45.1%. Once again, BEVs held the lowest %RV, at 36.7%.

Looking ahead, %RVs are expected to remain stable in Austria until the end of this year. Forecasts suggest a 0.5% increase by the end of 2025 compared to December 2024. Then, a 0.7% decline is expected in 2026, followed by a 0.6% decrease in 2027.

France sees value stability

‘RVs were stable in France during October, with slightly higher list prices and very slight percentage value declines,’ said Ludovic Percier, Autovista Group’s senior RV analyst for France.

Compared with September 2025, all powertrains took longer to sell on average. The SVI also dropped year on year as the used-car market reacted to a complicated economic climate.

Petrol-powered cars followed the month’s general trend, while diesel %RVs increased very slightly compared with September. These used models are still in demand in France despite the number of new internal-combustion engine (ICE) registrations shrinking.

HEVs were once again the fastest-selling powertrain. Used models are in increasing demand in France, but carmakers cannot risk adding big price premiums to these units. This would jeopardise the powertrain’s RVs.

Three of the top five fastest-selling HEVs came from Toyota, including the RAV4, the Yaris and the Corolla. The other top spots were filled by the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson, which took the shortest time to sell of any HEV.

PHEVs saw worse results, with used-car buyers not accepting the powertrain’s higher prices. As these models now feature longer ranges, many brands have had to increase list prices. Vehicles with a smaller electric range below 60km have been the most heavily impacted.

Supply and demand imbalance

‘Demand and supply are still unbalanced. In previous years, many vehicles were sold to fleets on the back of fiscal advantages,’ Percier added.

However, private used-car buyers have no interest in paying such a high price for PHEVs. Year to year, the powertrain saw the SVI fall by 13.1%. Smaller and cheaper PHEVs in the C-SUV segment were the easiest to sell.

At 35%, BEVs retained the lowest percentage of their original list price after 36 months and 60,000km. This was down both month on month and year on year. The fastest-selling BEV was the Tesla Model Y, offering a very comprehensive price positioning.

Both the new and used-car markets continue to be crowded. The new-car market will be pushed along by reinforced fiscal advantages for fleets.

Meanwhile, ICE models have been penalised more since the beginning of the year. This will increase the flow of BEVs into an already saturated used-car market. Social leasing will only exacerbate this situation.

Used-car demand flat in Germany

Following a modest increase in September, used-car demand in Germany remained almost unchanged in October. The SVI edged up just 0.1% compared to September. This still marked a 3.3% year-on-year decrease, indicating that market activity remains subdued compared to the previous year.

The AMVI for two-to-four-year-old passenger cars rose more significantly, by 4.3% month-on-month. Compared to October 2024, the index was up 9.1%, suggesting a recovery in supply within this age bracket.

The average number of days needed to sell a used car in October increased slightly to 60.4 days. This was up by 0.8 days from September and by 1.3 days compared with October 2024.

PHEVs sold the fastest at 59 days, followed by diesel models at 59.3 days. HEVs and petrol cars took slightly longer at 61.3 days. BEVs improved their turnover speed significantly and took 60.1 days to leave dealerships in October.

The average %RV of 36-month-old cars at 60,000km declined slightly to 48.3% in October, down 0.1pp from September and 1.6pp year on year. In absolute terms, the trade RV hit €21,599.9, a 0.8% month-on-month decrease but a 3.9% increase compared to October 2024.

Petrol cars led the market with a %RV of 50%. Then came diesel cars at 49.3% and HEVs at 48.9%, followed by PHEVs at 43.9%. BEVs again retained the lowest level of value at 36.7%.

‘Although RVs have stabilised recently in Germany, the level is significantly lower than in previous years, and demand remains rather weak,’ Madas said.

‘RVs can be expected to remain under pressure. By the end of 2025, %RVs are forecast to decrease by 2.6% compared with December 2024. Pressure will probably ease in 2026, with RVs forecasted to suffer a smaller decline of 1.4%,’ he added.

Italy used-car market on trend

‘October confirmed the anticipated trend for 2025 as outlined in the RV outlook. That is, a year-on-year decline in %RVs of 8.5%,’ highlighted Marco Pasquetti, Autovista Group’s cluster head of forecasting for Spain and Italy.

This drop is certainly significant, especially considering that %RVs ended 2024 down 7.5% compared to the previous year. However, it is important to remember that between 2020 and 2023, there was an unprecedented surge in values of over 30% in three years.

‘However, what is happening now should not be interpreted as a crisis in the used-car market. Instead, it should be considered a gradual return to a stable market following an exceptional, and therefore temporary, RV increase,’ Pasquetti highlighted.

There are currently no signs of a trend reversal or clear stabilisation, which means that this decline will likely continue over the next two years.

It is also notable that the volume of active listings was down 11% compared to last year. This decline is evident among PHEVs and BEVs, which still represent a relatively small market share. However, it is also apparent among diesel vehicles, which have dropped by as much as 16.7%. In contrast, full hybrids and LPG models have seen surges of 14.7% and 56.4%, respectively.

Overall, the fastest-selling model was the Dacia Sandero, which spent an average of 37.7 days. This is nearly half the market average of 69.8 days. The Audi A1, Toyota Yaris Cross, Dacia Duster, and Mini Countryman also performed well, each selling in under 50 days.

Spain sees solid demand

The positive new-car market performance in Spain has seen several consecutive months of double-digit increases. While registrations are still below 2019 levels, the market is recovering steadily. However, September saw the private channel and the business channel drive growth.

The MOVES III Plan continues to boost sales of electric vehicles (EVs), accounting for BEVs and PHEVs. These plug-in cars saw year-on-year growth of 97.9% and achieved a market share of 24%. In other words, nearly one in four new vehicles sold in September was an EV.

‘The used-car market is also in good health, with sales up by 5.2% year on year between January and September,’ commented Ana Azofra, Autovista Group’s head of valuations and insights, Spain.

Demand is solid and sustainable, with a significant rise in BEV and PHEV transactions, according to GANVAM.  In addition, they have seen a stronger professional channel and more stable prices than in other European markets.

Average transaction values only suffered a slight negative adjustment in October, down by 0.7% compared to September. This was due to the increased presence of EVs in the used-car sales mix, which tends to perform more negatively.

Overall, the situation is stable for ICE models and favourable for HEVs, which dominate the fastest-sellers ranking. The Toyota Yaris Cross leads the way with a turnover rate of 27.2 days, 40.5 days less than the wider market average.

Used-car stability in Switzerland

‘Following a strong rebound in September, used-car demand in Switzerland stabilised in October,’ Madas stated. ‘The SVI declined slightly month on month by 0.5% but still increased by 1.5% year on year.’

The AMVI rose by 1.5% increase compared to September but was still 8.4% lower than in October 2024. This indicates a tight supply of used cars in this age bracket.

The average %RV of a 36-month-old car at 60,000km remained relatively steady at 42.7%. This was down by just 0.1pp from September, and yet it marked a 4.3pp drop from October 2024.

HEVs retained the most value in October by far at 47.5%. Then came petrol cars at 44%, diesel models at 42.4% and PHEVs at 40.5%. BEVs continued to be the worst-performing powertrain, holding only 36.1% of their original list price.

The average number of days to sell a used car in October was 78.5 days. This was nearly unchanged from September. However, the performance was 5.5 days faster than in October 2024.

HEVs again sold fastest at 69 days. This was followed by diesel cars and petrol models at 76.2 days, and PHEVs at 85.7 days. BEVs improved significantly and sold at 85.8 days on average.

%RVs are forecast to decrease in the coming years, but at a slower pace. By the end of 2025, %RVs are expected to decrease by 7% compared to December 2024, with a smaller year-on-year drop of 1.7% anticipated in 2026.

Resilience in the UK

The UK’s used-car market presented a mixed picture in October. Despite the seasonal uplift in wholesale supply following September’s plate change, values remained broadly stable.

‘Average values dipped marginally by 0.1pp to 48.9% of the original cost-new price, indicating resilience in the face of increased stock levels,’ stated Jayson Whittington, Autovista Group’s regional head of valuations, UK.

The AMVI revealed a notable 13.6% rise in used-car availability on dealer forecourts compared to September, offering consumers greater choice. However, this did not translate into stronger retail performance.

According to the SVI, retail sales fell by 4.5% month on month in October, suggesting that increased supply may have outpaced demand.

Stock turnover remained steady, with dealers taking 34.3 days on average to sell a used car. This was slightly quicker than in the previous month and nearly identical to the same period last year.

Powertrain performance varied significantly. Diesel, HEV and petrol vehicles all outperformed the overall average %RV, retaining 52.2%, 52% and 50.1%, respectively. In contrast, PHEVs and BEVs lagged, retaining just 47.3% and 34.4% of their original cost-new price.

Despite their lower %RVs, BEVs continued to sell well. They were the fastest-selling powertrain in October, taking just 30.1 days on average to leave the forecourt. This was two days quicker than in September. This suggests that while BEV values remain under pressure, consumer appetite for fully-electric cars is still strong, particularly when pricing aligns with market expectations.

How are the latest EV battery developments impacting automotive fleets?

From repair to solid-state advancements, electric vehicle (EV) batteries are a complex equation for fleets. How can these businesses better understand and work with the technology? Autovista24 journalist Tom Hooker assesses the latest battery advancements.

The battery-electric vehicle (BEV) share has grown across Europe this year. In major new-car markets such as France, the fleet sector is a driving force behind electric registrations. Fleet-oriented incentives have helped encourage uptake, as in Germany.

This shift makes it vital for those in the sector to understand the batteries powering their vehicles. In turn, they can make smarter purchasing decisions, optimise maintenance and retain the highest profit margins when defleeting.

Cloud-based battery management

Digital battery health certificates and data can provide clarity for both private consumers and fleets. It can also help increase transparency, streamline remarketing and maximise residual values.

From February 2027, EV batteries sold in the EU must have a Battery Passport. The digital identity will be similar to a vehicle logbook, where battery charge cycles, energy efficiency and degradation trends must be included.

How can fleets stay informed until then? One solution is a cloud-based battery management solution that supports the resale of EVs.

‘Together as leaders in mobility and technology, we have the unique opportunity, especially for EVs, to use remarketing and the right point of resell to make not only a transaction out of it but make it a data-driven business model,’ outlined Christiane Soppa, director of business development at Bosch, at Fleet Europe Days.

Bosch conducted a pilot programme together with European mobility and car rental company Drivalia. This involved monitoring the data of approximately 100 vehicles between January and June 2025.

‘The heart of an EV is the battery. So, we took the heartbeat of the EV and put it online. The target was to take away the EV friction we have in remarketing. We looked at stress factors and anomalies based on very simple data,’ explained Soppa.

Roberto Sportiello presenting at the Fleet Europe Days 2025.
Drivalia CEO Roberto Sportiello.

From transaction to database

There are three steps to the process. Once the EV is connected, data can be collected. Bosch was able to track battery temperature, voltage, charging behaviour and driver usage. This provided a real-time picture of the power-storage unit.

Second, a cell-by-cell digital twin of the battery was created in the cloud. This combined AI machine learning with data taken from 150,000 vehicles tracked by Bosch worldwide to regularly review its algorithm. Third, the system detected anomalies and any battery issues.

‘The twin can completely monitor the battery. By spotting issues very early, you can redesign the right point of resell. We take the battery measurements, the state of health and anomalies before the decision point when you sell the car, not afterwards,’ she stated.

‘That is turning remarketing from a transaction to a database strategy. As a fleet manager or a leasing company, this is changing everything, because you suddenly get into the driver’s seat,’ Soppa continued.

Bosch was also able to produce a certificate at any time, revealing driving behaviour, anomalies, and charging history.

‘You could even use this data to discuss with your clients early, to change their behaviour. Decision making is not a best guess or dependent on lifetime and mileage anymore. It is based on data. What we see from all the pilots we did in the past years, in Bosch and all the data we have, sales can be boosted by up to 4% on average for resale,’ she commented.

However, Soppa highlighted that this requires monitoring of the battery to optimise the point of resale.

‘This is a very important digital platform that will permit the company more in the future to retrieve and collect data from the fleet, and let the company adjust it as best as possible,’ highlighted Drivalia CEO Roberto Sportiello.

Is battery repair the solution?

While Bosch’s tool can be used to boost resales, another way to maximise profit margins within a fleet is to reduce maintenance costs. So, what options do fleet managers have in this instance?

According to Gablini Automotive Group, the cost of repairing a battery pack is around 80% lower than replacing it. This makes battery repair more financially attractive while supporting circular economy goals.

‘To be sustainable, we cannot throw away a 10-year-old vehicle. We should keep it on the road. Because, if we throw it away, the environmentally friendly behaviour of EVs will not be there anymore,’ stated Daniel Pataki, general manager of Gablini Automotive Group, at Fleet Europe Days.

Daniel Pataki presenting at Fleet Europe Days 2025.
Gablini Automotive Group general manager Daniel Pataki.

‘The question is if we can repair the battery packs in case of any failure, because OEMs are not interested in selling battery packs. They are interested in selling new vehicles,’ he said.

Pataki explained how demand for battery repair is growing. As old EVs are getting cheaper, people are beginning to use them as an entrance point to the EV sector. However, he highlighted that an EV with a faulty battery has a resale value of close to zero.

Repair constraints

Pataki presented a diagram of a dismantled EV battery pack. He explained that if one cell has a lower voltage than the rest, this affects the entire battery’s performance. By replacing the module containing that cell, the EVs’ range will improve. The battery management system and thermal management system can also be replaced.

‘If one sensor gets broken in a battery pack and you cannot repair it via the OEM, you should replace the battery pack due to the fault of a €10 sensor. This is not sustainable. You should be able to repair this,’ said Pataki.

However, he explained that there are some constraints. There are still no standard criteria for technicians looking to repair high-voltage batteries. Pataki said that OEMs do invite technicians to their headquarters to get a certificate.

‘According to our experience of more than 12 years, 85% of faulty battery packs were economically repairable. That means only 15% of the battery packs coming to us needed to be replaced,’ he noted.

Pataki pointed out that buying parts from the OEM will mean reduced margins compared with individual battery repair. For a 14-hour job, a profit margin of around 40% to 60% can be achieved Pataki calculated. He highlighted that the solution opens up profit potential within the after-sales process.

‘You will provide sustainability. You will gain customer satisfaction because all customers will come back to you for battery repair. We can reduce waste, we can extend the lifespan of vehicles, we can have high-margin jobs in the workshop, and we can make the customer happy,’ outlined Pataki.

Battery market domination

So, the fleet sector needs to be aware of current battery developments, such as real-time data analysis and battery repair. However, it is equally important to know what to expect in the future.

Currently, the EV market is dominated by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries. From January to August 2025, these two chemistries accounted for over 90% of the megawatt-hours installed across the global passenger car market, according to EV volumes data. However, the market’s composition could change over the next few years.

Mix and match approach

‘What we see is quite a detailed chemistry layout. In the US, you have the nickel cobalt aluminium (NCA) component that is mainly used by Tesla. While in Europe, you have NMC batteries. In China, you have the majority of vehicles or batteries that are LFP batteries,’ said Octavian Chelu, advisory director at Frost&Sullivan at Fleet Europe Days.

‘You might think the picture is quite clear. The US, Europe and China use a certain technology. It is not that easy. When we look towards the future, what we see happening mainly is the fact that carmakers are going to match certain batteries, technologies and chemistries depending on the type of vehicle and its use, he added.’

‘Carmakers are going to try to mix and match from now on. This is something that is going to be keeping revenue from the remarketing business because it needs to juggle very well between different types of technologies, different battery markers, the degradation of those batteries and how much the residual value is going to be impacted by all of that,’ Chelu explained.

‘We have NMC and LFP; those are the main two technologies being used today. However, we also see a lot of heavy research and development, encouraged by all major governments worldwide, because they want to break dependencies,’ Chelu highlighted. ‘We are trying to find alternatives, so that our batteries and our vehicles are not going to be dependent on one source,’

The next battery technologies

Chelu explained that sodium-ion batteries are the next technology being tested. In China, the first vehicles using this technology have already been seen. There are also solid-state batteries in development. However, he believes both chemistries will not completely wipe out LFP’s market share.

‘We are still going to be dependent on precious materials for quite a while. There are pluses and minuses with all these new technologies,’ he said.

Chelu estimated that in the future, sodium-ion batteries are likely to be 30% to 50% cheaper than their LFP counterpart. They also perform extremely well in cold temperatures. This means vehicles using the chemistry can have better charging cycles.

However, sodium-ion batteries have a lower energy density than LFP units. So, models using the chemistry instead of LFP on a like-for-like basis will have less range. Yet, this does mean the emerging technology is slightly safer, due to it being less reactive.

Chelu noted the emerging technology could be well-suited to last-mile deliveries, but less so for long-range vehicles.

Meanwhile, solid-state batteries are safer and more stable than LFP ones, with no flammable liquid electrolyte. Chelu also pointed to a higher energy density, enabling longer distances and faster charging. However, the new technology will be much more expensive to begin with.

‘Sodium-ion is the next to come in line, not to replace LFP batteries, but as a new technology. Solid-state batteries are not going to happen before 2028 and probably will be fully commercial by 2030,’ Chelu concluded.

What is a concept car?

While many designs make it to the road, some are only destined for exhibition halls and marketing materials. But the concept car still has an important role to play in the automotive market. Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines their purpose.

Over the decades, carmakers have used innovative model design to stand out from the competition. Design must also allow for regulations, with safety features and sustainability requirements needing to be considered.

However, a concept car allows these shackles to be removed as designers illustrate their unique ideas. These prototype vehicles are developed to highlight new trends in both design and technology. However, they are not created to be sold, but provide a glimpse of what could be possible in the future.

These models can feature advanced aerodynamics, futuristic user interfaces, innovative powertrains or advanced technology. Concept cars allow brands to push the limits of design without the need to worry about production or budgets.

These concept cars can also reveal the findings of studies, help develop and implement new technologies, or visualise new production models.

Concept car design

Concept cars were once a mainstay of motor shows. Brands looking to attract attention to their stands unveiled what they believed would be the car of the future. Some had a basis, while others were more experimental. But these cars attracted audiences and inspired belief in the future of mobility.

The basis for a concept car was to highlight future design trends. The first model developed as a concept was the Buick Y-Job in 1938. This came at a time when many cars featured large vertical grills, separate headlights and little design sculpting.

Black and white photo of a Buick Y-Job with man sat in driver's seat and a building in the background
Source: General Motors

But the Y-Job, created by US designer Harley J. Earl, created a different profile that fed into upcoming models. This included the 1949 Buick Roadmaster and the 1953 Buick Skylark. The grill design is still seen in Buick models today.

Since then, brands have used concept cars for a variety of purposes. Some have highlighted design trends that have carried into their production models. Meanwhile, others focused on vehicles which could inspire future trends.

Journey of the concept car

Renault has taken concept car ideas through to production on several occasions. This means it developed an outlandish future concept, then a realistic opportunity, followed by a production model.

One example is the Renault EZ-Ultimo, a model presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2018. At the time, autonomous vehicle technology was a hot topic of discussion, so the carmaker revealed a trio of ‘robo-vehicles’.

The EZ-Ultimo was a mobile lounge, showing what would be possible with driverless vehicles. Not only did it serve a purpose of suggesting future design trends in an unrestricted environment, but it also drew crowds to Renault’s stand.

Press photo of a green Renault Embleme
Source: Renault

Moving forward to 2024, Renault presented the Embleme. This model presented the potential of an alternative powertrain system. It featured dual-energy electric and hydrogen technology to reduce CO2 emissions over the entire lifecycle of the vehicle.

In 2021, the carmaker unveiled the Renault 5 Prototype. It forged a connection with the carmaker’s former model that was discontinued in 1996. The concept acted as a precursor for the Renault 5 E-Tech, which was launched in 2024. The carmaker carried many of its design features into the production model, which is now on sale.

Digital concepts

Interest in traditional motor show concepts began to wane in the late 2010s. The COVID-19 pandemic saw many brands switch to online launches. This meant fewer design restrictions in the development of concept cars.

Rather than produce a physical model, designers could dig into the digital world. Brands showcased their concept drawings and videos to show what was possible. Fast forward to 2025, and this digital mindset has stuck around.

One example is the Ferrari F76, a digital hyper car created in the form of an NFT. It combines Ferrari’s racing tradition with generative design and digital technologies.

Photo of a Ferrari F76 concept car
Source: Ferrari

Designed for clients of the Hyperclub programme, the F76 was created to support the 499P competing at Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship.

While the development of a concept car has changed, its role remains the same. They are created to inspire both designers and consumers. They also create discussions and allow brands to build on their reputations to lead ideas around future technologies. Either digital or physical, concept cars remain a standout part of automotive development.

How are AI and automation transforming automotive remarketing?

Today, nearly every business is using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in some form. The automotive remarketing sector is no exception, with efficiency and data-driven decisions key to fleet efficiency and profitability. Tom Hooker, Autovista24 journalist, reviews its current applications and future impact.

As AI continues to develop, so too do the use cases within the automotive industry. From production to in-vehicle applications, logistics to fleets, there are many applications for the technology.

Automotive executives anticipate big things from AI, even within the next three years. The technology is expected to increase the perceived value of products by 22% and the value of digital services by 37%, according to IBM.

This acceleration in automotive AI applications underlines the industry’s push for smarter, more connected, autonomous, and software-defined vehicles. 

Carmakers are partnering up with AI specialists to maximise their knowledge and potential in this field. These collaborations include Hyundai Motor Group and Nvidia, Stellantis and Mistral AI, and Volkswagen Group and Amazon Web Services.

Unsurprisingly, AI and automation also present key growth opportunities in the remarketing sector. This involves reselling used vehicles, typically owned by businesses or fleets, through wholesale channels. This often occurs before hitting the retail market.

In this space, AI can enable predictive pricing, automated inspections, automatically adjusted inventory management, and automatic sourcing. These tasks help to maximise turnaround speed and recovery value, two of the major goals in remarketing.

So, how are remarketing companies currently using AI, what benefits are they seeing, and what could the future hold?

AI sourcing

To benefit from high resale margins and fast-turning stock, the right amount of quality vehicles must be quickly sourced. ScaleVoice and AURES Holdings are already using AI to source vehicles and improve response times.

Martin Rezab and Mike Allen presenting at the Fleet Europe days Event.
From left to right: Mike Allen, AURES Holdings member of the supervisory board. Martin Rezab, ScaleVoice chief revenue officer.

The two companies presented their Voice AI solution at the Fleet Europe Days. The AI agents can reportedly handle outbound and inbound calls, schedule trade-ins and update systems in real time.

Voice AI conducts proactive sourcing to find hidden opportunities in the marketplace. It grades adverts by predicted profit margin, stock turn and competitiveness, such as targeting private sellers with price drops. The solution can then contact the seller and schedule dealership appointments.

It also uses reactive sourcing. This means responding to incoming web form leads in under 30 seconds to catch customers in a selling mindset. Unlike a human agent, the AI can do this anytime on any day of the week. The insights gathered can then be used for future marketing and sales operations.

In a 60-day test that compared human agents to Voice AI, the latter generated 7,277 appointments. This returned a 49.2% conversion rate.

‘We had a round robin of leads, one half of the leads went to us [Voice AI], and the second half went to people, and they measured the volume of people that showed at branches. We outperformed people by two percentage points,’ highlighted ScaleVoice chief revenue officer Martin Rezab.

How to automate at scale

Other companies in the remarketing and leasing space are building AI-first cultures. One of these is the car leasing service Lizy, which has embedded automation steps into multiple processes.

A quarter of Lizy’s remarketing workload is handled without human intervention, with AI performing over 45,000 actions every month. This includes tasks such as pricing and workflow optimisation. New processes are automated across the company weekly.

For example, its paper mail and email workflows have been automated, freeing up time for employees to work on more challenging tasks.

‘We have two types of companies today. We have companies that are writing emails and recording meetings with AI. Then, you have companies that are actually fully automating their back-end processes with AI,’ explained Lizy CEO Sam Heymans.

Sam Heymans presenting at the Fleet Europe Days event.
Sam Heymans, Lizy CEO.

‘It is fine if you are in that first category today, but if, in five years, you are still only doing that, I think you will really suffer. I think for the leaders of our industry, we should make sure that we adopt AI and embrace it, because it will be shaping the future of automotive,’ he added.

AI inspection

An essential part of the defleeting process is inspecting vehicles. This can determine residual values and sales channel selection, while reducing risk by identifying damage, wear or missing equipment.

However, this can be a particularly time-consuming process, especially for fleets processing hundreds or thousands of cars at once. Automated inspection tools can help by reducing lead times and improving accuracy.

Marina Picard and Bertrand Chataing presenting at the Fleet Europe Days event.
From left to right: Marina Picard, Stellantis head of supply chain, business unit pre-owned vehicles. Bertrand Chataing, Autobiz Group chief sales and development officer.

Carcheck.AI, developed by Stellantis and Autobiz Group, can use a smartphone camera to create a digital scan of a vehicle. In just a few minutes, it calculates the costs of reconditioning the model before resale.

According to Autobiz Group, the system is already being tested at Stellantis fleets in Hordain, France and Madrid, Spain. It is expected to save up to three weeks in the vehicle resale process.

Automated fleet workflow system

BCA Europe and Alphabet International displayed another example of automation at the Fleet Europe Days event. The pair demonstrated a fleet workflow system integrated into an auction platform across European markets.

Tobias Münch and René Lorr presenting at the Fleet Europe Days event.
From left to right. Tobias Münch, BCA Europe chief commercial officer. René Lorr, Alphabet International head of international operations.

The solution optimises fleet visibility across logistics, pricing, sales, and post-sales. In turn, delivering detailed information, a smooth buyer experience, and fast vehicle remarketing. Real-time tracking is also possible, meaning shortened delivery times, improved operational control, and boosted stock rotation.

‘It has been deployed in nine markets. It consists of two main components. One is the workflow system, and that covers the process over the entire vehicle lifecycle. The second one is the auction platform,’ outlined Alphabet International head of international operations René Lorr.

‘We found a way to build up every unified process into one single workflow. I think it is the backbone of the remarketing process by Alphabet, because this system connects the people, the data and the processes together, and it brings it to a very efficient and value-driven system,’ concluded BCA Europe chief commercial officer Tobias Münch.

Is an EV revolution brewing in the Baltics?

Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have all seen a notable electric vehicle (EV) uptake in recent years. What is behind this growth in the Baltics, and how bright is the future? Joanna Fabiszewska-Solares, market analyst at EV Volumes, examines the data with Autovista24 web editor James Roberts.

While EV adoption, made up of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), remains inconsistent across Europe, some markets are pushing forward. In Portugal, every third car registered in the country last year was an EV. In Norway, BEVs account for almost 92% of new car registrations in 2024, according to EV Volumes data.

Three nations can be added to this trend: Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Although not officially affiliated, they are strongly bonded through regional cooperation, historical ties, plus shared strategic and geopolitical interests.

One further thing they share is recent, and significant, uptake in BEVs and PHEVs. In all three light-vehicle markets, accounting for passenger cars and light-commercial vehicles (LCVs), the EV share reached double digits.

Underneath the apparent EV prosperity of these three geographically contiguous economies lies a complex set of circumstances. While Latvia and Lithuania are experiencing overall positive new-car sales spanning all powertrains, Estonia is seeing a more downbeat picture. The trio of markets needs to handle varying incentives, charging infrastructure challenges, and the forging of domestic energy independence.

Latvia leading the way

The second largest Baltic state in terms of population, at nearly 1.86 million, Latvia has developed a significant EV base. According to EV Volumes, between January and August, EVs accounted for 18.4% of the nation’s light-vehicle market.

This meant 2,842 plug-in light vehicles were sold in the country in the eight months. This is compared to 1,156 at the same point last year, with a 10% share of the market.

Between January and August this year, 1,076 BEVs took to Latvia’s roads, claiming a 7% market share. This was just 159 fewer than the 2024 total, which stood at 1,235, suggesting a new high will be achieved this year.

2023 set a high watermark for BEV sales in Latvia, in what was a strong year for the entire domestic automotive market. The powertrain achieved a 9.5% share of light-vehicle sales, with 1,800 units shifted. However, the following year saw a decline in BEV adoption as well as an overall fall in light-vehicle registrations.

Weaker BEV sales in 2024 were largely the result of stricter EU-wide CO2 emission standards and impending 2025 emission targets. This contributed to a year-end push to sell internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles across many other EU countries, including Latvia.

Underlining a pan-Baltic trend, PHEVs have enjoyed notable popularity in Latvia so far this year. Between January and August, the powertrain passed the 1,000-delivery mark for the first time, hitting 1,766 units. This is already up from 741 registered across 2024, with the powertrain achieving an 11.4% market share already this year.

Incentives driving EV uptake in Latvia

In 2023, EVs accounted for 11.6% of light vehicles taking to Latvia’s roads. This share remained stable at 11.5% in 2024, thanks mostly to an increased PHEV share. In isolation, the hybrid powertrain took a 2.1% share in 2023, then a 4.3% in 2024.

Amid the wider new light-vehicle market falling by 9.5% in 2024, the BEV market share dropped 2.3 percentage points (pp) last year. Conversely, BEV deliveries fell from 1,800 in 2023 to 1,235 one year later.

This year, major policy changes and increased availability of affordable models are supporting increased EV ownership. In April, the Latvian government raised the total funding support for EV and hybrid adoption by €11 million. This included EV purchase grants, setting subsidy levels at €4,500 for BEVs, and €2,250 for PHEVs.

Coupled with this, falling interest rates have resulted in higher corporate purchases and leasing. This has driven total light-vehicle registrations upwards, despite inflationary pressure.

Aligned with these incentives, BEVs, PHEVs, and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCEVs) remain exempt from registration tax. The policy amendments also increased the Operation Vehicle Tax (VEN) for internal-combustion engine (ICE) powered vehicles from January 2025.

EV Volumes forecasts that EV sales in Latvia’s passenger car segment alone will grow by 27.5% in 2026. This will be driven by the availability of affordable EVs, as well as the tightening of EU-wide CO₂ regulations.

Lithuania’s vibrant EV market

So far this year, Lithuania, the largest of the Baltic states, has seen a similar PHEV-driven electrification trend to Latvia.

Between January and August this year, the country saw 27,582 light vehicles registered. This puts it on course to meet last year’s total of 30,101 units. So, what percentage of these sales were attributable to plug-in hybrids?

Between January and August this year, 2,532 PHEVs were registered in the country. This is already an increase of 77.1% on 2024’s total, which stood at 1,430. BEV registrations reached 1,616 deliveries in the first eight months of this year. This is on course to exceed 2024’s total of 1,720. However, this is likely to be below 2023’s record of 2,034 units.

EV sales accounted for 15% of the Lithuanian light-vehicle market between January and August this year. This was up from 9.5% registered in the first eight months of 2024. EV growth has been mostly driven by increased PHEV registrations. The powertrain represented a 9.2% market share in the first eight months of this year, compared with just a 4.1% across the same period last year.

Looking further back, EV registrations have surged since reaching 8.1% in 2022. EV sales in the passenger car segment are projected to continue growing. A year-on-year increase of 36.5% is expected by the end of 2025, according to EV Volumes.

Varied EV incentives in Lithuania

Since 2021, EV purchase subsidies have been available in Lithuania. These include €5,000 for individuals, as well as a €1,000 scrappage bonus, extending to €4,000 for companies. BEVs are also exempt from road tax until the end of 2025. From 2026, these vehicles will receive a 75% discount.

Additionally, green tax reforms were introduced in January this year. This included the Corporate Income Tax Act (CIT), which is aimed at increasing taxable deductions for lower-emission vehicles. The sliding scale provides a maximum deduction of up to €75,000 for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).

Like Latvia, Lithuania’s EV sector has also benefited from falling interest rates. A growing number of leasing and renewal contracts from rental companies has helped push EV registrations up too.

When it comes to EV charging infrastructure, Lithuania leads the way in the Baltics. The country benefits from a higher density than Latvia and Estonia. According to EV Volumes, Lithuania has a total of 1,618 public EV charging locations. This is compared to 1,180 in Estonia and 1,172 in Latvia.

Estonia’s complex EV landscape

Compared with Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia’s new-car market is experiencing notable headwinds. While the three Baltic states all suffer from high inflation, Estonia possesses the second-highest rate in the EU at 6.2%.

This factor is contributing to a decline in domestic new light-vehicle sales. According to EV Volumes data, between January and August 2025, total light vehicle sales fell by 39.6%. This equated to just 8,275 units taking to Estonia’s roads in the period.

In particular, ICE sales have dramatically fallen since January. This increasing void has boosted the overall market share of EVs in the country, albeit compared with a low baseline. Although the longer-term forecast for relative EV growth is promising.

However, in volume terms, EV sales in Estonia are declining. Between January and August this year, 1,262 EVs were registered. This is compared with 1,387 in the same period last year, representing a 9% decrease. However, the EV share of passenger cars in Estonia increased to 17.3%, compared to 10.2% at the same point last year.

Estonia powertrain breakdown

Across the first eight months of 2025, BEVs held a 7.1% share of the overall light-vehicle market. Meanwhile, PHEVs took a 10.2% slice. In 2024, EVs accounted for 9.7% of the overall market, which amounted to 2,454 units. This was up from 2022, when 1,995 new EVs were registered.

Like fellow Baltic states, Estonia has rolled out incentives to boost EV uptake. The Motor Vehicle Tax Act was introduced in January. Like incentives in Latvia and Lithuania, it offers reduced vehicle tax for owners of EVs.

According to EV Volumes forecasts, passenger car registrations in Estonia will increase moderately by 3.9% year-on-year in 2026. EVs are forecast to expand, supported by ongoing tax exemptions and the EU-wide tightening of CO₂ emission standards. As a result, BEV and PHEV numbers are expected to grow by 42.8% year-on-year.

Global EV market sees growth slow in August

The pace of electric vehicle (EV) sales growth has slowed globally. But which countries, powertrains and models are at the forefront of this trend? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus investigates the latest data from EV Volumes.

Including battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), 1,802,584 EVs were sold globally during August. This marked a 21.5% year-on-year increase, according to EV Volumes. However, this rate of growth has slowed consistently since April, when deliveries were up by 37.9%.

Between January and August, 13,062,688 EVs hit the roads, equating to a year-on-year increase of 31.2%. Whether this rate of growth is further stunted will be a matter of several interlocking factors.

EV powertrain performance

First, it will depend on the performance of the two powertrains. BEVs have seen a varied performance across 2025, from a 57% boost in February to a slower 25.2% rise in May. In August, global all-electric sales increased by 27.4% to 4,740,276 units. In the first eight months of 2025, a total of 8,322,412 BEVs were sold, up 33.5%.

Unfortunately, PHEV declines have been far more consistent. Following a 44.3% spike in sales during May, the powertrain has seen its rate of growth drop month after month. In August, deliveries were up by 11.8% to 630,356 units. This put the cumulative total to 4,740,276 sales, up 27.4%.

This trend has been driven by the powertrain’s performance in China. In August, 75.2% of all PHEV sales took place in the country. However, its sales volume grew by just 4.7%. This follows a slow July, which produced the powertrain’s worst year-on-year performance since June 2020.

This was behind the US, where deliveries rose 24%, and Germany, where sales increased by 77.7%. However, these two countries only made up 5.4% and 3.8% of the global PHEV market, respectively.

In September’s report, European countries like the UK and Germany can be expected to see even greater EV sales. This will be the result of regional effects, such as changes to incentives and registration plates. It seems unlikely that this will be enough to bolster results in the year-to-date, however.

So, PHEVs have slowed global EV growth, and China’s market for the powertrain has cooled. But how have individual models been impacted by these trends?

Poor PHEV growth performance

Only four PHEVs in August’s top 10 managed to avoid year-on-year sales declines. However, these models only became available within the last 12 months, so no comparisons are possible.

Meanwhile, established models in the top 10 all saw declines in the month. These cars are seeing a slower market, as well as increased competition from younger, more advanced vehicles.

The BYD Qin Plus saw deliveries drop by 18.1% compared with August 2024. Its volume of 26,833 units equated to a market share of 4.3%, down from 5.8% a year prior. While this downturn will be bad news for the carmaker, it was one of the smallest falls in the top 10.

EV Volumes categorises extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) alongside PHEVs. This powertrain uses a combustion engine as a generator for the battery system, instead of directly powering the wheels.

The technology has received increasing attention and popularity, with the Aito M8 coming second in August. It recorded 21,537 sales and a 3.4% market share. However, the model is relatively new to the market, with its first sales recorded in April this year.

The BYD Song Plus, also known as the Seal U in select markets, came third with 20,097 sales. This equated to a drop of 36.8%, as its market share fell by 2.4 percentage points (pp) to 3.2%.

The BYD Seal 6 finished fourth as its deliveries dropped by 44% to 19,031 units. This meant its market share was halved from 6% in August 2024 to 3% in August 2025. Fifth place went to the BYD Song Pro, which saw sales fall by 30.5% to 16,154 units. This meant its share slid by 1.5pp to 2.6%.

New entrants pack a punch

With sales first recorded in June this year, the BYD Sealion 06 has stepped up deliveries. The model reached 15,019 units, taking a 2.4% market share in August. This posed issues for established models in the top 10.

In seventh, the BYD Qin L’s market share fell by 4.4pp to 2%. It saw the largest delivery drop in August’s top-selling PHEV table, down 65% to 12,600 units. There was increasing pressure from newer Geely models as well.

The Galaxy A7 first recorded sales in June 2025 and took a 1.9% share in August with 12,078 units. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Starship 7 hit the market in November 2024, and 10 months later, it recorded 11,431 sales. This gave it a 1.8% market share in August, putting it ninth. However, the model’s performance has slowed after a strong start to the year.

The Li Auto L6 was knocked downwards as its hold on the global PHEV market loosened by 2.6pp to 1.8%.  It recorded 11,313 deliveries, equating to a drop of 54.6%.

BYD’s changing places

Between January and August, the BYD Song Plus managed to retain the top spot with a 5% market share. Having moved 239,110 units, its nearest competitor was the BYD Qin Plus, which moved up to second place. It recorded 162,564 sales and a 3.4% share.

This knocked the BYD Song Pro into third as it represented 3.3% of the market with 158,617 deliveries. The BYD Seal 6 finished fourth with a 3.1% share and 147,383 sales.

The first non-BYD model in this top 10 was the Li Auto L6 with 122,637 units and a 2.6% market share. It was followed by three more BYD models, highlighting the brand’s relative dominance.

The Qin L was sixth with a 2.5% share and 119,200 sales in the first eight months of the year. Then came the Song L with 99,885 deliveries and a 2.1% hold. Only 1,442 units behind was the BYD Destroyer 05, also known as the Seal 05. It recorded 98,443 sales and a 2.1% share. Neither the Song L nor the Destroyer 05 placed in August’s top 10.

The Galaxy Starship 7 came ninth with a 1.9% hold and 91,288 deliveries. The Auto M8 moved up to 10th, taking the place of its sibling, the Aito M9. The M8 recorded 83,327 sales and a 1.8% share.

Tesla Model Y maintains growth

The Tesla Model Y held on to the top spot in August’s global BEV top 10. Its deliveries increased by 7.8% year on year to 105,904 units, accounting for 9% of the total market. However, this was down by 3.7pp from a year ago. Having struggled at the start of the year, August marked the third consecutive month of volume improvement for the US model.

After first recording sales in September last year, the Geely Geome Xingyuan claimed a 3.9% market share. Its 46,057 sales allowed it to secure second, ahead of the Tesla Model 3, which moved 43,556 units, down 4.2%. Accordingly, the sedan’s market share dropped by 1.2pp.

In fourth, the Wuling Mini’s deliveries increased by 43% to 37,838 units. Its grip on the market tightened by 0.3pp to 3.2%.

BYD places four BEVs

The first of four BYD BEVs arrived in fifth. With 29,331 sales, the BYD Seagull, also known as the Dolphin Surf, saw deliveries decline by 33.2%. Its market share reached 2.5%, down from 4.8% a year prior.

The BYD Yuan Up, also known in some markets as the Atto 2, came sixth. Its sales increased by 10.6% to 21,634 in the month. This meant its market share grew by 0.3pp to 1.8%.

The Xiaomi SU7 followed with a 1.7% share and 19,877 deliveries. This was the largest sales growth recorded in the top 10, up 51.3%. Its grip on the market also increased by 0.3pp to 1.7%.

While the BYD Dolphin was only 238 units behind with 19,639 sales, this equated to a delivery drop of 8.3%. Its share also declined, from 2.3% to 1.7%. However, this was better than the BYD Yuan Plus, also known as the Atto 3. Taking ninth, its sales nosedived by 43.7% to 18,683 units. Accordingly, its share hit 1.6%, down 2pp.

Taking 10th was the Xiaomi YU7. After first recording deliveries in June this year, it claimed a 1.4% market share with 16,295 sales.

Tesla’s top two

The annual BEV chart remained static for the second month in succession, with no position changes. Between January and August, Tesla held the top two spots, with the Model Y in first and the Model 3 in second.

The all-electric crossover recorded 657,313 sales and claimed a 7.9% share. Its sedan sibling took less than half this amount with a 3.6% share and 302,914 deliveries.

The Geely Geome Xingyuan came third as it continued to close the gap with the Tesla Model 3. Its cumulative 295,434 sales were only 7,480 units away from second place as it made up 3.5% of the market.

The BYD Seagull made up 3.1% of the global BEV market with 259,615 sales. The Wuling Mini finished fifth with 235,315 deliveries and a 2.8% share. With a 2.4% hold, the Xiaomi SU7 came sixth with 200,132 sales.

The BYD Yuan Plus was seventh with a 2% share and 163,576 sales. In eighth, the BYD Yuan Up recorded 142,771 deliveries and a 1.7% share. The BYD Dolphin came ninth with a 1.6% share and 136,049 sales. Then in 10th place was the Wuling Bingo, accounting for 1.4% of all BEV sales, with 119,978 units.

Will PHEV sales in China go from boom to bust?

For the second consecutive month, China’s plug-in hybrid (PHEV) market experienced slower growth. Which models fuelled this trend? Autovista24 special content editor Phil Curry examines the latest data from EV Volumes.  

China’s PHEV market continued to struggle into August, following a dramatic dip in volume growth during July.

In total, 474,234 new PHEVs were sold in the country during August, according to data from EV Volumes. This represented a 4.7% year-on-year increase, and is the second consecutive month of single-digit growth for the market.

July saw the powertrain’s worst result since July 2020, which saw an increase of 4.1%. A month prior, the market had fallen by 51.4% year on year. Deliveries then increased continuously by two to three-digit figures each month from August 2020.

It appears China’s PHEV market has plateaued following this period of exceptional growth. The results of the last two months have also impacted yearly improvements. Between January and August 2025, 3,376,609 PHEVs took to China’s roads, up 25.4%. This sits in stark contrast to the 35.8% increase in sales across the first two quarters of 2025.

While PHEV sales slowed, the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) market continued to post strong growth. However, its 24.3% increase over August 2024 was the second-lowest improvement in the first eight months of the year.

In total, 718,128 new BEVs took to China’s roads in the month. In the year to August, BEV deliveries have increased by 39.3%, with 4,852,413 units delivered.

BYD’s PHEV struggles

In China’s top 10 best-selling PHEV table for August, four models had gone on sale within the last 12 months. The other six models failed to see any volume improvement, highlighting a slowdown.

The BYD Qin Plus led the pack in the month, with 25,800 deliveries, according to EV Volumes data. This was a drop of 19.6% year on year, although it was the model’s best volume in the first eight months of 2025. Its market share fell by 1.7 percentage points (pp), to 5.4%.

For the second consecutive month, the Aito M8 finished second, denting the dominance of BYD. The model achieved 21,537 sales in August, with a 4.5% market share in its fifth month of recorded sales.

BYD models took the next four positions, with the Seal 06 in third, thanks to 17,414 units. This was a drop of 47.1% year on year, while its share of the PHEV total dropped 3.6pp, to 3.7%.

Next came the BYD Sealion 06, making its top 10 debut with 15,000 sales. This capped an impressive performance, which saw limited deliveries in its first two months on sale. As its other models struggled, BYD will be hoping the Sealion 06 can carry some momentum. It took 3.2% of China’s PHEV market in August.

The BYD Song Pro ended the month in fifth thanks to 12,681 deliveries. This was a drop of 34.3% compared with August 2024. Its market share of 2.7% was down 1.6pp year on year.

New PHEV models gain ground

Having started the year well, the BYD Qin L has struggled. August saw its best placement since April, as the model ended up in sixth. Its total of 12,600 units was down 65%, the largest decline in the top 10. This also gave the model a 2.7% market share, a drop of 5.2pp.

Another top 10 debutant took seventh. The Galaxy A7, which first recorded sales in the market in June 2025, saw 12,078 deliveries during August, with a 2.5% market share.

The model beat its stablemate, the Galaxy Starship 7, which achieved 11,431 sales. The model, which first recorded sales in November 2024, claimed first place in January and looked set to challenge BYD. However, it has not sustained this success, failing to rank higher than eighth since its strong start.

Just 214 units behind was the Li Auto L6. It too struggled, with 11,217 sales down by 54.9%. This equated to a 3.1pp drop in market share, reaching 2.4%.

Rounding out the table was the BYD Song L. It posted 11,000 deliveries in the month, a 34.4% year-on-year drop, which meant its share fell by 1.4pp to 2.3%.

Change at the top

In the first eight months of the year, the PHEV top 10 saw a change in leadership. Despite its decline in sales in August, the BYD Qin Plus took first place, with 154,212 deliveries. This equated to a 4.6% market share.

After struggling in August, the BYD Song Plus fell to second, with 145,213 deliveries and a 4.3% market share. The result means the Qin L took the lead by 8,999 deliveries.

There were no position changes between third and ninth. The BYD Seal 06 remained in third with 137,013 sales between January and August. This gave the model a 4.1% share of the yearly PHEV total. Next came the BYD Song Pro, with 124,701 deliveries and a 3.7% market hold.

The Li Auto L6 remained in fifth, thanks to 122,401 sales and a 3.6% market share. The BYD Qin L placed sixth, taking 199,200 sales and 3.5% of the market.

Seventh went to the BYD Song L, which ended the eight-month period with 99,500 deliveries and a 2.9% market share. In eighth was the Galaxy Starship 7, thanks to 91,288 deliveries and 2.7% of the market. Ninth went to the BYD Destroyer 05, with 84,174 sales, and 2.5%.

The Aito M8 rounded out the top 10, which entered the cumulative chart for the first time. With 83,327 sales, it was just 847 units behind the BYD Destroyer 05. The Aito model held 2.5% of the PHEV total across the first eight months of 2025.

Geely domination continues

The Geely Geome Xingyuan continued its impressive run to head the Chinese BEV market in August. Its total of 46,057 units was enough for a 6.4% share in its 12th month on sale in the country. It has topped the monthly best-seller list five times across the first eight months of 2025.

Second went to the Tesla Model Y, with 39,413 units delivered. This was a 13.1% decrease year on year, as the model’s struggles continued. Its 5.5% market share was a 2.3pp drop compared to August 2024.

The Wuling Mini placed third, with 37,828 units. Following a strong start to the year, the model wavered in the second quarter of 2025. However, it recovered, ending up third in August for the second consecutive month. In total, 37,828 units were delivered, a 43% rise. This gave the model a 5.3% market share, up 0.7pp.

In fourth, the BYD Seagull struggled with a 43.8% decline, as it saw 23,031 units hit the roads. This resulted in a 3.9pp dip in share, to 3.2%.

Finishing in the top half of the table was the Xiaomi SU7. With 19,848 sales in August, it achieved a 51.4% improvement year on year. This was good enough for a 2.8% share of total BEV sales in the month.

Tesla’s bounce continues

The BYD Yuan Up took sixth in August’s BEV chart, with 19,647 sales in China. This was an increase of 1.6%, with the model slowly improving its figures this year. However, in an increasingly competitive market, this small rise in volumes did not boost its share. It represented 2.7% of total BEV sales in the month, down 0.6pp.

The Tesla Model 3 re-entered the table in seventh after dropping out in July. The US model has struggled in China this year, only placing as high as fifth in February. Ahead of the usual Tesla spike in September, 17,739 units were delivered to Chinese customers, a 2.1% year-on-year decrease.

However, its market share only decreased by 0.6pp, the same as the BYD Yuan Up. It ended the month making up 2.5% of deliveries.

In only its third month on the market, the Xiaomi YU7 made its top 10 debut in eighth, with 16,295 sales. This gave the model a 2.3% hold of the BEV market. It was followed by the Xpeng M03, with 15,333 deliveries and a 2.1% market share.

Rounding out the top 10 was the Changan Lumin. The model saw 14,570 deliveries in August. This was down 7.2% compared to the same month last year. The model did take a 2% market share, down by 0.7pp.

Top spot back in domestic hands

Spanning the first eight months of 2025, the Geely Geome Xingyuan led the way. It recorded 295,434 sales, meaning a 6.1% market share.

Geely has shaken up the BEV chart with the Geome Xingyuan, placing the market in the hands of domestic carmakers. This follows two years of Tesla domination. The US brand is still going strong, however, with its Model Y finishing second. It achieved 241,670 deliveries for a 5% market share.

However, this result places the Model Y 53,764 units behind the Geome Xingyuan. Aside from a blip in March, the Geely model has consistently been in the top two. Conversely, the Tesla model has experienced more of a rollercoaster year. With the Chinese BEV having hit its stride, it could be difficult for the Model Y to catch up before the end of the year.

Third in the yearly chart went to the Wuling Mini, which climbed back towards the top at the expense of the BYD Seagull. With 235,249 sales between January and August, it took a 4.8% market share. The Chinese model was 6,421 units behind the Model Y. But with the US brand’s customary spike in September, finishing second in 2025 could be a long shot.

The BYD Seagull dropped one place to fourth after eight months, with 220,884 units, and a 4.6% market share. Fifth went to the Xiaomi SU7, which held its place as deliveries grew to 199,950 units. This was enough for a 4.1% share of the total.

Gap too big to close?

The BYD Yuan Up maintained sixth, with 132,688 deliveries between January and August. The model held a 2.7% market share, with the gulf between fifth and sixth places seemingly too big to bridge.

The Tesla Model 3 moved up one spot to seventh after eight months of 2025. Its 119,509 total was 13,179 units behind sixth. Even with the end-of-quarter push, the US model may struggle to catch its rival.

The Xpeng M03 remained in eighth, with 117,388 sales and a 2.4% market share. Having not placed in August’s top 10, the Wuling Bingo fell two positions to ninth, with 116,942 deliveries. This was just 446 units behind the Xpeng, suggesting a tighter battle for the lower end of the table.

Finally, the Geely Panda Mini held 10th, thanks to 111,842 sales between January and August. This gave the Chinese model a 2.3% share of total BEV sales in the period.

The Automotive Update: Residual value winners and European used-car outlook

Which vehicles triumphed at this year’s Residual Value Awards? Can European used-car markets improve in 2026? Are automotive industry supply chains starting to strain? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus reviews the week’s headlines in The Automotive Update podcast.

In this episode, Autovista24 reveals the 2025 Residual Value Award winners. Then, as economic pressure builds, a new webinar explored the outlook for the European used-car market. Finally, a look at how concerns are building around semiconductor and rare earth metal supply chains.

Subscribe to the Autovista24 podcast and listen to previous episodes on Spotify, Apple and Amazon Music.

European residual value winners

The winners of the 2025 Residual Value Awards were announced this week. Champions of the eight categories were calculated using Autovista Group analysis and insights, powered by data from across 17 markets.

German premium brands performed especially well this year, with many marques from the country collecting awards.

BMW Group took home three titles, with two awarded to Mini models and one to a car from BMW. Mercedes-Benz celebrated two wins, while Audi and Porsche were victorious in one category each. The only non-German carmaker to enjoy success was Dacia.

European used-car market outlook

This week, Autovista Group hosted a webinar titled The road ahead: Residual value trends and the next market shift.

The panel discussed Europe’s uncertain economic environment. Inflation is rising due to geopolitical tensions and conflicts, while the consumer price index is still increasing.

This environment has negatively impacted the automotive industry.  Stagnating economies have triggered affordability issues and reduced investment. Ongoing tariff negotiations have also caused delays in investment and supply.

Meanwhile, a massive electric vehicle (EV) push is putting pressure on manufacturers to become more profitable.

Pressure on residual values (RVs), expressed as a percentage of the new-car list price (%RVs), are forecast to persist across Europe’s major used-car markets. In most of these locations, 36-month-old cars are expected to suffer up to a 1.5% fall in %RVs by the end of 2026.

However, these declines would represent a slowdown compared to this year, where %RVs have fallen at a sharper rate.

Passenger cars aged 36 months or older are expected to be affected more than younger vehicles. This matches 2025 trends, where market pressure on three-to-four-year-old models continued to build.

Looking at EV powertrains, the RVs of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are still struggling. Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are performing much better.

European supply chain in crisis?

Automotive industry bodies have raised concerns over supply chains. ACEA highlighted the potential problems that could arise from an interruption of Nexperia semiconductor provisions. Without them, European vehicle suppliers could see production grind to a halt.

The industry has access to the same chips from other suppliers. However, homologating new suppliers for specific components and building up production could take several months, ACEA said. Current stocks of Nexperia chips are only expected to last for a few weeks.

Elsewhere, ANFIA flagged fears over rare earth metal exports from China, as reported by Reuters. The industry body said that restrictions on these materials could have a big impact on the European automotive industry.