Sales of global electric vehicles have slowed to their weakest pace in nearly a year, as demand in China steadied and North America saw its first setback in years following the withdrawal of key tax incentives.
The numbers show global EV registrations increased by 6% in November, totaling just under 2 million units. In China, volumes grew by 3% to over 1.3 million, marking the smallest year-on-year expansion since February 2024.
North America saw registrations plunge 42% to slightly above 100,000, echoing a similar drop in October after U.S. tax credits expired, and the region is now down 1% for the year overall.
In contrast, registrations in Europe continued to rise sharply, bolstered by government incentive schemes. The region posted a growth of 36%, with more than 400,000 registrations, while the rest of the world also showed a similar trend, as the figure rose 35% to nearly 160,000 registrations.
Consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI) reported that European registrations have climbed by a third year-to-date compared to the same period in 2024.
EV advocates argue that rapid adoption is crucial to reducing carbon emissions, though both automakers and governments have scaled back some of their climate commitments amid slower-than-expected demand for electric models. Industry lobbyists warn that lackluster uptake could negatively impact jobs and profit margins.
BMI data manager Charles Lester noted that the withdrawal of the tax credit in the United States had a major influence on sales, and he expects a further decline in U.S. EV sales projections for next year.
