Global sales of EVs surge in October, despite slowdown in North America

Global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) surged in October, according to market research company Rho Motion.

They report that 1.9 million units were sold around the world last month, marking a 23% rise for the year to date compared to 2024.

This increase came despite the sharp drop in EV sales reported for North America.

In the US, part of the reason for the October decrease was that in the preceding months, consumers had taken advantage of the EV tax credit which ended on 30 September.

EV sales in Canada continued a weak trajectory in 2025 due to the reduction in subsidies, Rho Motion says, alongside the suspension of the EV mandate for 2026 in September 2025.

Europe led regional electric vehicle growth with a 36% year-on-year increase, driven by strong demand in Germany, France and the UK.

China remained 'resilient', with 1.3 million units sold in October, which is an increase of 6% year-on-year.

The country retainedits position as the world’s largest EV market, accounting for more than half of global sales.

RELATED: China's BYD launches 'cheapest' electric vehicle in SA

The new trade tariffs would also have played a role in the EV sales dip in the US, says tech expert Siphumelele Zondi.

"They have tariffs on imports of vehicles, plus on technology parts that are needed if you want to make them in America... so it becomes expensive to manufacture as well as to import an entire vehicle."

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation