Global electric vehicle sales reached 1.7 million units in March 2025, with total Q1 2025 sales hitting 4.1 million units, according to new data from EV research firm Rho Motion.

This represents a 29% year-on-year growth compared to Q1 2024, with March sales showing a significant 40% increase over February 2025 figures.

The UK EV market has demonstrated particularly strong growth, with a record-breaking March that saw over 100,000 electric vehicles sold for the first time in a single month.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales in the UK grew by 42% year-to-date, while the overall UK EV market recorded 41% growth in March 2025 compared to March 2024, a strong indicator of accelerating fleet electrification.

Charles Lester, data manager at Rho Motion, said: “This quarter, while turbulent, has seen a strong rate of growth globally for the EV market. Some countries, such as the UK, had a record-breaking March as drivers continue to go electric.

“The removal of subsidies in France has had a shrinking effect on sales which are down 18%. Meanwhile, in North America, forecasts are struggling to keep up with the rate of policy announcements under the current White House administration.

“What is sure is that the electric vehicle market is already struggling to compete with ICE on cost, so reductions in subsidies and hefty tariffs for a very international supply chain are guaranteed to have a cooling effect on the industry.”

The impact of policy changes is being felt across different markets, with the European EV market growing at 22% year-to-date, though with significant regional variations.

While Germany recorded 37% BEV growth and Italy saw a 64% increase, the French market has contracted by 18% following incentive reductions.

In North America, recent 25% tariffs announced by President Trump on automobile imports are expected to affect pricing in both EV and ICE markets, potentially creating challenges for fleet managers planning vehicle transitions.