A report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has stated that Europe’s electric vehicle transition is “on track and accelerating”.
It comes as the European Commission’s review of the EU’s CO₂ standards for cars, the law steering the phase-out sales of new polluting cars by 2035.
More than 150 companies have called on the bloc to keep the date, and in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU should “stand firm, not step back” on the zero-emission target for cars and vans.
Since the Dieselgate scandal broke in 2015, the European automotive sector has undergone significant transformation. Today, the European Union is a net exporter of battery electric cars and ranks second in electric car production globally.
From around 80,571 electric cars in 2015, EU production reached 2.35 million at the end of 2024. In the first half of 2025, fully electric cars achieved a record 17% average market share across Europe.
The EU’s CO2 standards have steadily driven industry milestones, cutting emissions by 42% since 2009. Battery electric cars sold in Europe emit 73% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than gasoline cars over their lifetime, even when factoring in production emissions.
They are also becoming more attractive to consumers. Today at present prices, they are the cheapest to drive, costing around €7.43 per 100 kilometers, compared with €8.60 for diesel and €11.02 for gasoline.
Dr. Peter Mock, ICCT Europe Director, said:
“Our report concludes that Europe’s electric vehicle transition is on track and accelerating.
“Carmakers are just 9 grams away from their next CO₂ target in 2027. The preferred strategy to hit this goal on schedule is selling more battery electric cars, and this comes as no surprise: battery costs are plummeting, charging infrastructure is expanding, and battery electric cars are becoming cleaner faster than expected.”
“Back in 2015, Europe’s auto sector was still dominated by polluting cars that impacted public health and undermined climate goals.
“Today, despite gloomy headlines and the pressure of quarterly results, we have a much cleaner industry and a path to an emission-free car sector. Our report shows that carmakers should be less worried about hitting the next targets and more about remaining competitive globally.
“Policy and industry hesitation can only erode investors and consumers’ confidence in the transition while China-based carmakers gain ground. What matters now is keeping the transition on course — without delays or detours.”
The report’s lead author Marie Rajon Bernard, ICCT Senior Researcher, said:
“The analysis concludes that public charging is generally being deployed at a sufficient pace, with differences between countries mirroring differences in EV adoption.
“This growth rate is well above the 14% annual increase projected to be needed until 2035.”
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