European electric vehicle sales in May: Volkswagen leads as Tesla falls

European electric vehicle sales accelerate in May

In May, electric vehicle sales across Europe outperformed the wider market by a considerable margin. Figures from ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) confirm that demand for electric models is still rising rapidly.

During the fifth month of the year, electric vehicle sales climbed by 27.2% to 193,493 units. By comparison, the European car market grew by just 1.9%, reaching 1,113,194 units. Electric vehicles accounted for 17.4% of all sales in May.

Brand performance in the electric vehicle market

Not every manufacturer has managed to keep pace with this growth. Tesla, once the undisputed leader of the segment, recorded a 29% fall in sales in May, totalling 13,600 units (source: JATO, data from 28 countries). This result pushed it off the European podium and into fifth place among the best-selling brands.

Volkswagen therefore moved into first place, posting a strong 50% increase and registering 23,309 units. Skoda and BMW followed, with 14,975 (+182%) and 14,859 (+2%) units respectively.

Audi also delivered a notable performance, with sales rising by 70% to 13,835 units. Kia increased by 60% to 8,771 units, while Hyundai grew by 56% to 8,381 units. Volvo, meanwhile, followed Tesla’s downward path, suffering a sharp 31% decline.

Outside the Top 10, Citroën (+411%), XPeng (+350%), Ford (+280%), Porsche (204%), BYD (+158%), Dacia (132%) and MINI (109%) also recorded significant growth.

Best-selling models

Despite Tesla’s decline as a brand, the Tesla Model Y retained its position as the best-selling fully electric model in May, with 10,367 registrations (-7% compared with May 2024). The new Skoda Elroq came immediately behind with 9,222 units, a performance that largely explains the Czech brand’s rise in the sales ranking.

The Volkswagen ID.7 completed the podium with 6,732 units (+373%). It was followed by the equally successful ID.4 and ID.3, which together strengthened the ID family’s dominance in the German brand’s sales.

Outside the Top 10, two May declines stood out: the Volvo EX30 fell by 52% to 3,926 units, while the Tesla Model 3 dropped by 59%, selling just 3,190 units. In contrast, the Toyota bZ4X (+80%) and the new Renault Scenic E-Tech (+67%) were among the notable gainers.