VW ID.4 Rises 194% at the Top of Europe's EV Market, Yet Falls Short of the Overall Top 25 | Carscoops

      In Europe last month, electric vehicles (EVs) experienced a significant market share increase of 37%, with Volkswagen (VW) surpassing Tesla, and the Model Y.

      The Dacia Sandero was the best-selling car in Europe as of January.

      VW reported 7,177 electric ID.4 units sold, demonstrating solid performance.

      The Tesla Model Y came in second, with 6,115 units sold across Europe during the same period.

      Electric vehicles are becoming more popular in Europe, with a remarkable 37% rise in sales last month. According to Jato Dynamics, a total of 165,473 battery-electric vehicles were registered across 28 countries, including the 25 EU countries as well as the UK, Norway, and Switzerland. However, despite these numbers, even the best-selling EV did not make it into the top 25 best-selling new cars in Europe.

      In January, the Volkswagen ID.4 was the top-selling EV in Europe, with 7,177 registrations for the month, marking a staggering 195% increase from January 2024, allowing it to surpass the Tesla Model Y, which has dominated the market for some time. However, it is important not to jump to conclusions about a "VW superiority" narrative.

      Sales of the Model Y fell dramatically, decreasing by 46% to only 6,115 units, just edging out the VW ID.7, which had 5,879 units sold. It remains uncertain if the Model Y's decline is due to the release of its updated version or backlash against Elon Musk's increasingly prominent political activities.

      Close behind was the new Kia EV3, which recorded 5,792 sales. Therefore, while VW can take pride in the ID.4's top position, the overall EV market still has a considerable distance to cover before it can compete with more established vehicle categories.

      Overall Best-Selling Models

      Although VW executives may be pleased with the strong sales of the ID.4 and ID.7, EVs have a long road ahead to match traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) models in sales numbers. As usual in Europe, the best-selling new car was the Dacia Sandero, with 21,309 units sold.

      This performance placed it ahead of the VW Golf (17,630), Peugeot 208 (17,289), Dacia Duster (15,816), and VW T-Roc (15,655). Notably, no electric vehicle was able to make it to the top 25. In comparison, the Skoda Octavia (13,913 sales) and Hyundai Tucson (13,201 sales) significantly outsold the ID.4.

      This outcome is not surprising. Despite the excitement surrounding EVs, European consumers still have a clear preference for traditional gasoline vehicles. Consequently, the ID.4 trailed behind models like the Skoda Octavia (13,913 sales), Hyundai Tucson (13,201 sales), Ford Puma (10,499 sales), and MG ZS, which sold 9,720 units.

      PHEV Sales Decline Slightly as EV Sales Increase

      Interestingly, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) experienced a slight decline in sales this January, falling by 6% year-on-year. Only 75,680 PHEVs were sold, a notable decrease compared to last year, indicating that while the market for full EVs is expanding, hybrid models may be losing traction.

      The Volvo XC40 was the leading PHEV with 5,001 units sold, followed by the VW Tiguan (4,159 deliveries), BMW X1 (3,222), Toyota C-HR (2,861), Hyundai Tucson (2,555), and Ford Kuga (2,446).