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Global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles increased 29% in April, compared with the same month a year earlier, according to data published by EV research group Rho Motion on Wednesday.

The number of electric vehicles sold came to 1.5 million in April, a drop of 12% compared to March 2025.

In the period from January to April, meanwhile, there were 5.6m EVs sold worldwide, representing a year-on-year jump of 29%.

“Ongoing tariff negotiations are dominating talk in the electric vehicle industry but quietly, domestic manufacturers in China and the EU continue to perform well and grow market share,” Charles Lester, Rho Motion Data Manager, said in a press release.

He continued: “The EU is certainly the success story for EV sales in 2025 so far, with emissions targets lighting a fire under the industry to accelerate the switch to electric.”

From January to April, sales in Europe were up 25% on the year, China saw a 35% rise, North America saw a 5% rise, while the rest of the world saw a 37% rise.

In April alone, Europe saw growth of 35%, China 32%, while sales fell 5.6% in North America. In the rest of the world, April sales rose 51%.

Politics to determine EV leaders

“EV adoption is accelerating – but politics, not technology, will decide who leads and who lags,” Christian Brand, emeritus professor in transport, energy & climate change at Oxford University, told Euronews.

As China and Europe are steaming ahead, he explained that the US is “hindered by policy uncertainties and potential tariff implementations under President Trump's administration, which could dampen investor confidence and slow market growth”.

During his time in office, former President Biden introduced a raft of tax incentives for clean electricity projects, meaning Americans can currently claim a deduction of up to $7,500 (€6,679) for qualifying EV purchases.

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These green incentives could soon be on the chopping block, as Republicans seek to fund their own brand of tax cuts.

Draft legislation released this week proposes to eliminate the $7,500 credit scheme by the end of 2026. Added to this, only manufacturers that have sold fewer than 200,000 EVs by the end of 2025 would be eligible for the credit in 2026. According to the draft legislation, tax incentives for commercial and second-hand EVs could also be scrapped.

The Chinese government, on the other hand, is seeking to boost EV sales to support its flailing economy, still bogged down by the effects of a property crisis, geopolitical tensions, and weak consumer and business confidence. Buyers who trade in an old car for a new EV or hybrid vehicle will receive a 20,000 yuan (€2,471) subsidy.

More tariff breakthroughs

US President Trump’s tariffs on imported cars and car parts, set at 25%, is also causing a headache for automakers in the US, even after concessions were offered. Trump signed an executive order at the end of April to provide relief from tariff “stacking”, meaning firms that pay levies on cars and parts will not have to pay other duties on steel and aluminium.

For carmarkers with global supply chains, tariffs will still eat into profits directly and indirectly. There is the upfront cost of the levies to consider, but also dampened consumer appetite in the US.

The US recently struck deals with the UK and China on tariffs, and potential deals with South Korea, Japan, and the EU could be in the pipeline. If there are major breakthroughs with these partners, this could provide the EV industry with an added boost.

More than one in four cars sold worldwide this year is set to be electric, according to the International Energy Agency.

An industry shift

For Professor Christian Brand, the shift to EVs is — however — still a “gradual evolution rather than a swift revolution”.

“The transition to electric vehicles is not merely about changing propulsion systems; it's about reconfiguring entire value chains, the maintenance and repair sector, the recharging/refuelling sector, and so on,” he told Euronews.

“Businesses must navigate a complex landscape of evolving regulations, supply chain challenges and shifting consumer expectations to remain competitive in this transforming market.”