18 March 2025
China drove the global battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) markets in January 2025. But which models led the way? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus explores the latest figures from EV Volumes.
BEV and PHEV new-car volumes increased around the world in January, according to figures from EV Volumes. With 790,842 units taking to the roads, the all-electric car market grew by 21% year on year. Meanwhile, PHEV deliveries increased by 24%, but with a lower volume total of 512,486 units.
China led the global electric vehicle (EV) market in terms of volume. While the US recorded the next highest BEV and PHEV volumes across the world, it was still a distant second. China’s PHEV total sat 351,392 units ahead of the US, while 328,868 BEV sales separated the two counties.
China accounted for 73.1% of the global PHEV market in January, while the US only took a 4.5% share of registrations. Germany came third with 3.4%, then the UK with 2.4% and Japan with 1.3%.
While still large, the difference in market share was not as pronounced in the BEV sector. China made up 53.6% of all-electric sales. The US was next with 12%, then Germany with 4.4%, the UK with 3.7% and France with 2.6%.
Model Y leads global BEV market
With 63,615 units sold across the world, the Tesla Model Y led the BEV market in January. However, this was down on its performance recorded in January 2024 when it delivered 70,361 units. As its sales fell 9.6% year on year, its market share dipped by 2.8 percentage points (pp) to 8%.
Tesla is currently experiencing some serious turbulence. The company’s stock value has taken a great deal of punishment according to Barrons. It has seen incentives withdrawn in Toronto, as reported by Reuters, while its dealerships deal with protestors, the Guardian wrote.
However, the brand is making moves to maintain its global lead. In China, Tesla is offering 0% interest on the latest version of the Model Y, according to electrek. It is even reportedly working on a smaller, more affordable version of the Model Y. This looks to be an attempt to hold on to its share of the Chinese market, Reuters reported.
Soaring into second
The Geely Geome Xingyuan soared into second, recording 28,146 sales. This illustrates the building demand for a model which first hit the roads in September 2024. The affordable electric car took 3.6% of the global BEV market in January. However, it achieved this position despite all deliveries being made in China, its domestic market.
The Tesla Model 3 took third place in January, selling 26,946 units. This was down 13.2% compared with 12 months prior. The model saw its hold on the global BEV market slip from 4.7% to 3.4%.
The Wuling Mini claimed fourth after seeing 24,932 deliveries in the month, up by 60.6% year on year. The model’s market share climbed by 0.8pp to 3.2%. The Xiaomi SU7 finished in fifth with 22,897 units. This reflected a considerable acceleration for the BEV, which began deliveries in April last year. The SUV made up 2.9% of all global BEV sales in January.
Only one European BEV
In sixth, the BYD Seagull, known as the Dolphin Mini in some markets, recorded 20,590 sales. This was down 21.6% year on year as the model’s grasp on the market slipped by 1.4pp to 2.6%. The Geely Panda Mini finished in seventh with 15,932 sales, up 43.6%. This allowed it to increase its market share to 2%, up 0.3pp.
Just 707 units behind, the Xpeng M03 came eighth with 15,225 sales as it took a market share of 1.9%. This was a strong result for the model, with its sales only beginning in August 2024.
In ninth, the BYD Yuan Plus, also known as the Atto 3 in some markets, recorded 13,535 deliveries. This was down 46.3% year on year, as its market share fell to 1.7% from 3.9% in January 2024.
Finally, the only BEV from a European carmaker to make the top 10 table at the start of 2025 was the Volkswagen (VW) ID.4. It recorded 13,416 registrations in the month, taking 1.7% of the market, up from 0.7%. The BEV enjoyed particular success in the US where it sold 4,879 units, far above the 1,900 sold in Germany.
Global PHEV leaders
The global PHEV market was dominated by BYD, capturing seven of the top 10 slots in January. The BYD Song Plus, also known as the Seal U in some markets, led the way. It recorded 25,123 deliveries, down 7.2% year on year as its share slipped by 1.7pp to 4.9%.
The smaller BYD Song Pro recorded 20,528 deliveries, putting it in second. This equated to a year-on-year drop of 6.4%, with the PHEV’s share falling from 5.3% to 4%.
The Galaxy Starship 7 finished third with 20,328 unit sales, after only hitting the market in November 2024. All these deliveries were made in China, highlighting the importance of domestic demand for the model. It captured 4% of the global PHEV market.
In fourth, the BYD Qin L finished the month with 16,047 sales, claiming 3.1% of the market. It first saw deliveries begin in May 2024. The BYD Qin Plus came fifth with 15,721 sales recorded. This was down 4.7% year on year. The model’s share fell by 0.9pp to 3.1%.
In sixth, the BYD Seal 06 recorded 14,971 deliveries and a market share of 2.9%. The Li Auto L6 was seventh with 13,990 units sold, representing 2.7% of the global PHEV market. It first landed in April 2024.
The BYD Destroyer 05, also known as the Seal 05 finished in eighth with 11,721 deliveries. Overall, it captured 2.3% of the market in January. The Aito M9 came ninth, with 11,483 registrations and a 2.2% market share. Approximately 400 units behind was the BYD Song L with 11,031 units leaving forecourts, and 2.2% of the market.
