Germany, UK lead 10.7% rise in September European car sales, European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association says
The European new-car market rebounded strongly in September 2025, with registrations across the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) region – comprising the EU, the UK and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) – climbing 10.7% year-on-year. (Reuters)
In total, about 1.237 million cars were registered in the period. (MarketScreener)
Key market performances
- Germany’s new-car registrations rose ~12.8%. (ETAuto.com)
- United Kingdom posted a gain of ~13.7%. (ETAuto.com)
- Spain saw an even stronger rise of ~16.4%. (MarketScreener)
- Italy recorded a more modest rise of ~4.2%. (MarketScreener India)
- France’s growth was nearly flat at ~1.0%. (Business Day)
Segment & manufacturer highlights
- The shift to electrified vehicles is accelerating: registrations of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) increased by ~20% year-on-year. (MarketScreener)
- Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) surged ~65.4%. (ETAuto.com)
- Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) (non-plug) rose by ~15.9%. (MarketScreener)
- Combined electrified power-trains accounted for roughly 64% of new registrations in the bloc, up from ~57% a year earlier. (MarketScreener UK)
- Manufacturers:
- Volkswagen AG rose ~9.7%. (MarketScreener)
- Stellantis N.V. up ~11.5%. (MarketScreener UK)
- Renault S.A. jumped ~15.2%. (MarketScreener UK)
- Tesla, Inc. saw a decline of ~10.5% in its European registrations, reducing its market share to ~3.2% from ~4.0%. (NST Online)
- Chinese automaker BYD Company Limited recorded a spectacular ~398% year-on-year increase, raising its share to ~2% from ~0.4%. (MarketScreener India)
Why the rise — and what it means
This strong uptick reflects a mix of new‐model launches and improved consumer confidence in major markets. The German and UK markets in particular applied momentum, helping offset weaker growth in some other European countries. (NST Online)
However, the growth comes with caveats:
- Although BEVs grew strongly, their market share remains below what’s needed to meet long-term transition targets. The battery-electric car market share remains at ~16.1% YTD, according to ACEA. (NST Online)
- High production costs, supply-chain risks (for example semiconductor/chip supply), and international trade pressures (such as tariffs) continue to weigh on the industry. (ETAuto.com)
- While major markets like Germany and the UK grew well, others (such as Italy and France) lag significantly. The uneven nature of growth suggests that structural headwinds remain in parts of Europe.
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