Average carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from newly registered cars and vans in Europe fell sharply in 2025 as the share of zero-emission vehicles increased, according to provisional data from the European Environment Agency (EEA).
A total of 10.8 million new cars were registered across the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2025, a figure that was almost unchanged from 2024, the EEA reported on Thursday.
The average emissions of those new cars were 96.7 grams of CO₂ per kilometre, down 10 g CO₂/km from 2024, it added.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 18.9% of new car registrations in 2025, up 4.5 percentage points from 2024.
Plug-in hybrid cars — which combine a battery and a conventional engine and can be charged from an external power source — made up 9.7% of new registrations.
Norway recorded the highest share of fully electric cars at 96%, followed by Denmark at 69% and Iceland at 43%.
Electric van share rises as registrations fall
New van registrations totalled 1.2 million across the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2025, down 9% compared with 2024, the EEA said.
Average emissions from new vans were 172.1 g CO₂/km, a drop of 12.8 g CO₂/km from the previous year.
Fully electric vans represented 10.3% of new van registrations in 2025, up from 6.2% in 2024, according to the agency. Plug-in hybrid vans made up 1.7% of new registrations, up from 0.3% a year earlier.
The Netherlands had the highest share of fully electric vans at 84%, followed by Norway at 46% and Denmark at 31%.
The figures are based on information provided by countries on all newly registered cars and vans in the EU, Norway and Iceland, and remain provisional until manufacturers have had the chance to review and correct factual errors.
The emissions are measured using the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), a standardised laboratory test used to estimate vehicle fuel use and CO₂ emissions.
