Define what is being counted.
The IEA reports that global electric-car sales exceeded 20 million in 2025, accounting for a quarter of new car sales. Its electric-car measure includes battery EVs and plug-in hybrids. It is not a count of every vehicle using an electric motor, and it does not include conventional hybrids in that measure.
Sources: IEA01. Accessed 8 November 2026.
Do not turn a forecast into a result.
The May 2026 outlook projected 23 million electric-car sales for 2026. That is a dated outlook, not a final year total. Different countries and powertrains can move differently. When a number changes, keep its reporting period and definitions beside it.
Sources: IEA03. Accessed 8 November 2026.
Translate the market into a local question.
Large aggregate growth does not resolve local vehicle availability, service support, charging access or purchase economics. Use market research to identify questions; use local specifications and current offers to answer them. The vehicle-use explorer is organised around jobs and constraints for this reason.
A useful next step.
Write a short requirements brief before making a model shortlist. Separate what is known from what needs supplier or operator evidence. Test your own costs with the Ownership Cost tool rather than importing an international average.