A quarter of all new vehicles sold worldwide in 2025 were already electric — a milestone that illustrates just how rapidly the global automotive market is transforming. This transformation has never moved faster than it did last year. That is the finding of the seventh edition of the EV Charging Index, published regularly by the consultancy Roland Berger.
Globally, electric vehicle sales rose by more than a fifth over the past year. Europe in particular saw significant momentum: after a disappointing previous year, the market rebounded sharply, growing by roughly a third to 3.7 million vehicles sold. Electric vehicles now account for nearly 30 % of all new car sales across Europe — in Germany, the figure stood at 28.3 %. North America told a very different story: uncertain political conditions combined with more cautious consumer sentiment caused the market there to contract.
"The next phase of electric mobility will no longer be decided by vehicles alone, but at the charging station. Europe's and Germany's task is clear: the rapid growth of e-mobility must be matched by a charging offering that meets the needs of tomorrow's EV drivers," says Martin Weissbart, Partner at Roland Berger.
From Network Coverage to Charging Power
Charging infrastructure tells a somewhat different story than vehicle sales alone: while around 1.1 million new public charging points were added worldwide in 2025, that figure was slightly lower than the year before. This decline should not be read as a sign of weakening investment, but rather as evidence of a maturing market: the emphasis is shifting away from sheer number of charging points and toward their performance — particularly fast and ultra-fast charging at 150 kW and above. Two factors are driving this shift: drivers' growing desire for shorter charging times, and the increasingly attractive economics of high-power chargers for operators.
China's Lead Continues to Widen
China remains the driving force behind global electric mobility. Electric vehicles now account for more than 50 % of new registrations in the country, and China is increasingly setting the pace internationally through technological innovation and lower costs. This lead is particularly evident in charging infrastructure: nearly one in two public charging points in China is already fast- or ultra-fast-charging capable, compared with only around one in five in Europe.
Charging Infrastructure at a Turning Point
Structurally, too, the buildout of charging networks is undergoing a fundamental shift. Heavy investment by operators in fast-charging networks in recent years has removed many of the bottlenecks that early EV drivers once saw as a clear obstacle. Now, however, the dynamic is partially reversing: as electric mobility continues to gain momentum, the number of electric vehicles is currently growing faster than the supply of fast-charging points. In Western Europe, there are currently around 45 battery-electric vehicles for every fast-charging point. This comparatively favorable ratio shows that infrastructure is, for now, keeping pace with rising demand. At the same time, it points to further potential: greater utilization of existing charging points could further improve the economics of the infrastructure in the years ahead.
