Electric vehicle adoption in Europe is highly uneven: northern and western countries—led by Norway at 94% EV share—are surging, while many southern and eastern states lag, with Croatia near 1%. The EU has relaxed some 2035 emissions targets amid industry concerns about slow EV demand and has earmarked funds for chargers and subsidies. In some markets, cheaper models from Chinese automakers are gaining ground, underscoring the role of pricing and infrastructure in adoption.
Europe's EV Market Split: Norway Hits 94% While Southern and Eastern States Trail
FILE PHOTO: Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric vehicles are lined up at a Volkswagen plant in Hanover, Germany, December 17, 2024. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo
As the European Union presses automakers toward electrification, electric vehicle (EV) sales across Europe remain uneven, concentrated in northern and western countries while many southern and eastern states lag.
The EU has eased some of its 2035 emissions targets after pushback from the auto industry, which argues that consumer demand for EVs has risen more slowly than projected and that manufacturers need more time to transition away from internal combustion engines.
Norway stands out: using revenue from its oil-funded sovereign wealth fund to subsidise purchases and expand charging networks, Norway recorded EVs at 94% of total car sales in the first seven months of 2025, consultancy Inovev reports. Other Nordic and several northwestern European governments have also combined subsidies with significant investment in public charging, helping to lift EV uptake.
By contrast, adoption in southern and eastern Europe remains low. High purchase prices and sparse charging infrastructure are major barriers in many markets; for example, Croatia’s EV market share stood at about 1% in the same period, according to Inovev. Across much of the continent, overall EV take-up in the first seven months of 2025 remained in the low- to mid-single digits.
The EU has earmarked funds for charging infrastructure and some purchase incentives across member states, but implementation and scope vary. In markets such as Spain, government purchase programmes have helped—but lower-priced models from Chinese automakers have captured an outsized share of demand, putting pressure on some established European brands.
Implications: The widening north–south and east–west gap highlights how policy choices, public investment and market pricing shape EV adoption. Closing the divide will require targeted infrastructure spending, incentives for lower-cost models, and coordination between EU and national policies.
