Five Most Popular Electric Cars in Europe 2025, Compared

So far this year, from January to the end of October, 2 022 173 fully electric cars have hit the road in Europe (ACEA data). That’s a significant 26.2% growth in EV sales over the same time last year.

This means the EV market share of all new cars sold has jumped from 14.8% in the same period last year to 18.3% so far this year. In other words, every 6th (well, every 5.4th) car sold in Europe this year is fully electric.

But the people who go for their best electric car – what models are they actually buying?

We looked into the best-selling EVs and compared them to give you a more informed choice when choosing your next EV. 

The top 5 most popular electric cars 2025 in Europe from 2025 January to October

Here are the best electric cars sold in Europe so far, at least in terms of topping the sales, per José Pontes’ research at CleanTechnica:

1. Tesla Model Y: 116 989
   
2. Škoda Elroq: 71 148
   
3. Renault 5 (including Alpine A290): 67 625
   
4. Volkswagen ID.4: 66 030
   
5. Volkswagen ID.3: 64 414

Notably, the Tesla Model 3, which has historically been the second spot right after the Model Y, has just about fallen off the top 5 list, with 62 629 sales.

Do sales immediately tell us which one is the best electric car? Perhaps not, but seeing which ones are the most popular electric cars gives us an idea of what others look for.

In this article, we’ll take a look at what these five tell us about where the European EV market is heading, and how these most popular electric cars compare with each other on the metrics that actually matter for potential new EV owners.

1. Tesla Model Y – still the benchmark

The Model Y is a non-negotiable first among the most popular electric cars in Europe. It is not a new vehicle, albeit it feels like one after the refreshed design and features from earlier this year. Yet it keeps topping the charts. 

In fact, Tesla Model Y is very likely to win the title of the most popular electric cars 2025 again, much like it did for 2024, 2023, and 2022. That’s because Model Y started sales in August 2021. It has also gone as far as becoming the best-selling vehicle of any fuel type in Europe for the past two years.

The Tesla Model 3, currently 6th, has been the steady #2 in Europe after Model Y came to market, while holding the top spot itself before that. This will be the first year in a while where Tesla is likely not taking the dual win in Europe. 

Now, on to why Model Y sticks to the top. 

It sits in the sweet spot of the European market: family-size crossover body making it one of the best electric family car, big boot and frunk, simple yet premium feeling trims, great efficiency, and an ecosystem that includes smart software, Superchargers, and a reasonably competitive price. 

Note that the Model Y does not fall into the lowest price segments that carmakers are eager to win these days (the 25k-35k € range), but rather wins in the rough price range of the average car sold in Europe (which was €44,630 in 2024).

This also ensures the automaker’s healthy profit margins, as Tesla is one of the very few automakers that actually make a profit in selling their EVs. 

Model Y in a snapshot

Earlier in 2025, Tesla reshuffled the lineup in Europe around the “Juniper” refresh, first launching the new Model Y with a refreshed design (lightbar in front and indirect lightbar in back) and features, and then following up with the Performance and Standard versions.

For a reference trim, we have taken the Model Y Premium RWD (previously called Long Range RWD), which has most likely been the largest chunk of the sales:

• Starting price (Germany, when on sale): ~€49,970
• Usable battery: 75 kWh, NCM
• WLTP range: 622 km
• Likely real range: ~470 km
• Efficiency (WLTP): 14.2 kWh / 100km
• Fast-charging: up to 250 kW DC; typical 10–80% in ~27 minutes
• AC charging: 11 kW
• 0–100 km/h: 5.9 s
• Drive: RWD, but there is an AWD version available for €53,970
• Best electric cars ranking? Based on sales, it comes first in Europe.

The Model Y Standard and Performance

This year, Tesla went ahead and introduced the Model Y Standard to cater a little bit more to the entry-level buyers. It has removed a lot of features, changed the design a bit while keeping the core – great efficiency and range & great software experience the same. The Model Y Standard starts at €40,970 in Germany, has a usable battery of 60 kWh LFP, and a WLTP range of ~534 km. It can charge at up to 175 kW. 

If you’re looking for the best electric compact SUV, it’s most likely you’ll find it on the Model Y line – at least that’s what the numbers tell us.

Just recently, Tesla also renewed its Model Y Performance, which starts at ~€62,970 in Germany, has a usable battery 7of 9 kWh NCM, and 580 km range. This model goes 0–100 km/h in 3.8 s, runs on dual-motor AWD, and charges 250 kW peak.

What the Model Y gets right

• Long-distance confidence. Even the cheaper Standard has a solid charging curve, and the bigger-battery trims are among the best electric cars 2025 in Europe for long range right now.
  
• Software and ecosystem.
  What are the best features of electric cars? A lot of the EV owners, especially Tesla owners, would answer: software. Over-the-air updates, app integration, and the Supercharger network still feel a step ahead of most legacy brands. Tesla was the first brand to build a truly software-defined vehicle, and somehow it is still quite rare in the auto industry, with just a few brands following, mostly coming from China. This is one of the keys that made it one of the most popular electric cars out there.
  
• Wildcard: Full Self-Driving. Although not available in Europe yet, Tesla has made one of its ambitions to offer fully self-driving vehicles, and is live with a Supervised version in several markets. In Europe, access is supposedly only behind regulation, which seems to be changing in 2026. Although other makers have mostly agreements for autonomous tech to help, nearly none of them have gone so all-in to do it in-house as Tesla has.
  
• Resale and familiarity. The car is everywhere and has become synonymous with the word electric car, which sounds boring, but it also makes residual values and servicing feel less of a gamble.

The Model Y is certainly not perfect – some people like the minimalist interior and others hate it (especially those who love physical buttons in their interior). Ride comfort can vary from a great experience to something left to be desired, depending on the driver.

Nowadays, Tesla is also “in the middle” in terms of the peak charging speed, while some other makers have gone way beyond its ~250kW maximum these days.

Depending on where you live, your decisions might also be influenced by the CEO of the company itself, for good or bad. Whatever the case, luckily, in 2025, we have quite a lot of different EV models to choose from. Here’s the surprising number 2 for this year:

2. Škoda Elroq – the surprising newcomer

The reason we said it is surprising is that the Elroq only started sales in November 2024, but has now risen to the top of the list, outselling all other EVs in October and becoming the #2 for the whole year as of the end of October.

Elroq isn’t the first proper EV try from Škoda – the slightly larger Enyaq, which is built on the same MEB platform, came before it, reaching the status of one of the most popular electric cars around here as well. MEB is the platform that Volkswagen Group – which Škoda is a part of – uses across its different subbrands.

Elroq sits just below the Model Y in size but feels very close to it inside. Elroq is a practical, among the best family electric car with a more conservative design, physical controls (if you’re into it), and an interior that looks quite similar to a regular ICE Škoda or VW.

Škoda Elroq in a snapshot:

What are the best electric cars under 40k? If you ask this, the chances are you’ll get the Elroq as one of the answers.

Škoda has created three main trims for the Elroq based on battery sizes: the 50, 60, and 85.

• Starting price is from €33,900 for the Elroq 50 to €44,180 for the Elroq 85
• Battery 52.0 kWh (Elroq 50); 59 kWh (60) and 77 kWh (85) respectively, all on NCM chemistry
• WLTP range from 350 km to 531 km, depending on trim
• Efficiency from 15.2 kWh / 100km (on 85) to 15.7 kWh / 100km (on 60)
• DC Fast charging from 145 kW (on 50) to 175 kW peak on 85 trim, Plug & Charge capable. 
• AC charging at 11 kW
• 0-100 km/h: from 6.6s on the 85 trim to 9.0s
• All RWD except for a special 85 trim.
• Best electric cars ranking? Based on sales, it comes second in Europe.

How Škoda Elroq feels versus the Tesla Model Y

On paper, Elroq looks a lot like a European interpretation of the Y (which, albeit from the US, is also produced in Europe): similar battery size, similar real-world range, slightly lower fast-charging numbers. In practice, the difference is:

• Likely on the ride quality – but we’ll let you be the judge of that (ultimately, the best electric car is one that fits you).
  
• Infotainment and software are better than earlier MEB products, but still not at all on the Tesla level.
  
• Buttons – sounds trivial, but for some buyers, it is key that Škoda has not moved most controls to its infotainment system yet.
  
• Interior materials and sound insulation are said to be a bit better than the Y at a similar price (but again, subjective).
  
• Brand feel – as a native Czech/German brand, it has some loyalty that Tesla does not yet have.
  
• What is important to watch with brands outside Tesla is whether and which specific trim options, such as heatpump, for example, are included in the price.

Where Škoda really wins is approachability. For many buyers, this is basically “an electric Karoq or Kodiaq” with similar ergonomics and dealer support. For some buyers, dealerships are the only way they’ll consider buying a vehicle.

3. Renault 5 – the futuretro hatchback

Futuretro is what I call the EV design languages that are making the cars look like they are from the future, but with strong retro vibes and influence. 

People are increasingly asking: What is the best small electric car? And Renault here has pulled off something difficult: it has revived an icon without turning it into a niche nostalgic toy. 

The new electric Renault 5 is a compact hatch – by the numbers one of the best electric hatchbacks out there – that looks and feels fun, stays relatively affordable (even more so if some small-EV policies are pushed through on the European level), and sneaks in some serious tech like bidirectional charging. No wonder it has become one of the most popular electric cars in Europe.

It is also one of the first truly mass-market small EVs that feels designed as an EV from the start, not as a compliance car that automakers have loved doing so far. All that shows up in the packaging: short overhangs, good use of interior space, and a driving position that does not feel like “raised Clio with batteries”.

Renault 5 in a snapshot:

• Starting price: ~€25k for the “Comfort Range” version with 95 hp; ~€30k for its 120 hp version, and ~€30k+ for the “Long Range” 52 kWh 150 hp version
• Battery 42 kWh for Comfort Range and 52 kWh for Long Range trims
• WLTP range from 300 km to 400 km, depending on the wheels and trim
• Efficiency from 14.5 kWh / 100km
• DC Fast charging 80 to 100 kW peak. It also supports future bidirectional charging for V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) capabilities
• AC charging at 11 kW
• 0-100 km/h: from 8.0s
• Drivetrain: all FWD
• Best electric cars ranking? Based on sales, it comes third in Europe.

Fun fact – Renault 5 has a quirky option listed that is as French as it gets: a baguette holder.

Why is the Renault 5 selling so well already

• Price point. Even the 52 kWh version undercuts many crossovers by €10k or more while still offering a 300+ km realistic range. The €25k entry level makes it most likely the best budget EV out there.
  
• Efficiency. Around 155 kWh / 100 km in real-world efficiency is very strong for a non-aero-optimized hatch (look at the shape).
  
• Bidirectional charging. V2L and V2H/V2G support on the 52 kWh model makes it attractive for people thinking about solar, home storage, or just powering tools and devices from the car.
  

The compromise is obvious: this is not a long-distance cruiser. Above 110 km/h, the range drops faster than in the bigger SUVs, and 100 kW peak DC means more like 35–40 minutes from low state-of-charge to a comfortable buffer. The upside is that most European usage is still short daily trips, where a compact car like this makes more sense than a 2-tonne SUV. And on the plus side, this car seems like a lot of fun.

4. Volkswagen ID.4 – the solid middle

If the Model Y is the default “tech crossover” and the Elroq is the fresh European challenger, the ID.4 is the quiet workhorse in the background. It does not dominate headlines, but it sells into a huge middle of the market: company cars, fleet crossovers, family SUVs that used to be Tiguan-shaped.

VW ID.4 in a snapshot:

• Starting price: ~€37 000 for the ID.4 Pure version; ~€46k for the ID.4 Pro version and ~€53k for the GTX
• Battery 52 kWh / 77 kWh / 79 kWh usable, respectively
• WLTP range from 360 km on pure to 570 km on Pro
• Efficiency from 15.6 kWh / 100km
• DC Fast charging ~145 kW peak for Pure, ~175 kW for Pro. ID.4 also supports bidirectional charging in some areas.
• AC charging at 11 kW
• 0-100 km/h: from 5.4s on GTX, ~9s on Pure
• Drivetrain RWD, except for GTX, which is AWD
• Best electric cars ranking? Based on sales, it comes fourth in Europe.

On paper, ID.4 Pro is very close to the Elroq 85, which is not surprising given they share the platform, battery, and much of the power electronics.

Where the ID.4 stands out

• Maturity. It has been on sale for longer than Elroq, and many of the early software issues have been ironed out.
  
• Fleet appeal. This is a safe, conservative choice for company car lists and leasing companies. The VW badge still carries weight in those channels.
  
• Comfort. Like the Elroq, it is tuned more for comfort than for sharp handling. For most buyers, that is a plus.

The downside is that, against the Tesla, the ID.4 still feels heavier and slightly less efficient at motorway speeds. Charging rate is good rather than great. If you rarely fast-charge and you want something familiar with a VW logo, you are probably good to go with the ID.4

5. Volkswagen ID.3 – the quirky Golf-sized EV that finally found its feet

The ID.3 had a messy launch, but the latest iterations seem to make it work, as evidenced by its high fifth place in Europe this year. With a 52 kWh usable pack to start with and improved interior, it seems to now deliver what VW originally kind/of promised: a compact, Golf-class EV on a dedicated platform.

VW ID.4 in a snapshot:

• Starting price: €33,330 for the ID.3 Pure version; ~€40k for the ID.4 Pro version and ~€47k for the GTX
• Battery 52 kWh / 79 kWh usable, respectively
• WLTP range from 388 km on Pure to 568 km on Pro
• Efficiency from 15.2 kWh / 100km
• DC Fast charging 145 kW on Pure, ~185 kW peak on Pro & GTX.
• AC charging at 11 kW
• 0-100 km/h: from 5.6s on GTX Performance, 8.2s on Pure
• Drivetrain: all versions are RWD; even the GTX models use a stronger rear motor rather than adding a second front motor. 
• Best electric cars 2025 ranking? Based on sales, it comes fifth in Europe.

Earlier in its life, the ID.3 was more of a tech demo than a well-rounded product. The facelift tightened the design, cleaned up the interior, and pushed software into a more stable place.

Why ID.3 is climbing back into the top five

• Right size, right range. For a lot of European households, the ~390 km real-world is plenty, and this makes the price-to-range ratio good.
  
• Comfortable, compact footprint. It is easier to park than the SUVs above, yet it still has decent rear legroom thanks to the long wheelbase.
  
• Quirky enough. The looks of the ID.3 are still something that stands out from the crowd.
  
• Brand recognition. Volkswagen continues to be a recognized brand and has proven itself also in the EV world, as Volkswagen Group has remained in the top five for years.

Now you know the EVs Europeans choose in 2025

What is the best electric car in Europe in 2025? As the year is not over yet, the top five can still slightly change. The Model 3 might jump in between the VWs, and the order change otherwise as well. One thing is clear, however – we’ve got a lot more choice in EVs than a year ago. The smaller-sized EVs seem to make inroads, while the Model Y keeps dominating for the fourth year in a row. 

For EV fast charging networks like Eleport, this means planning for both – by building out the large charging hubs for those on the road, Eleport is there to give you the quick charge. Meanwhile, we’ll keep looking at the sales data and keep you up to date on our blog. And remember: the best electric cars are not always the most popular electric cars – what matters is that the model fits best for you.