Global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) weakened during the first quarter of the year, marking a rare slowdown for a market that has enjoyed sustained rapid growth in recent years, according to a new report from consultancy firm PwC.
Across 43 major markets analysed by the company, global EV sales fell by 1% compared with the same period in 2025, reaching just under 2.7 million vehicles. The figures contrast sharply with the strong momentum seen in previous years, including overall growth of almost one-third during 2025.
The decline was driven primarily by weaker demand in China and the United States, the world’s two largest automotive markets. In China, EV sales dropped by 20% year-on-year to 1.32 million vehicles, while the US market recorded an even steeper fall of 23%, with sales slipping to just under 233,000 units.
Although growth in other regions helped offset some of the losses, it was not enough to reverse the overall global downturn. In Europe — including the EU, the UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland — EV sales increased by 26% to nearly 724,000 vehicles. Strong performances in Germany and France were cited as key drivers of the regional increase.
Despite the fall in total sales volumes, electric vehicles continued to strengthen their position in the global automotive market. Sales of petrol and diesel-only vehicles declined by 8%, helping EVs achieve a record first-quarter global market share of 16%, according to PwC.
