Battery capacity deployed in German-made EVs overtakes US for the first time

Over the first nine months of 2025, 751.8 GWh of battery capacity was deployed onto roads globally in all newly sold passenger full electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles combined, nearly 29% more than the same period last year.

Of the total, made-in-China EVs sold worldwide were responsible for 484.0 GWh after a 30% year-on-year growth. That provides China with 64% of the global total, a commanding lead the country has enjoyed for several years.

In a distant second is Germany, with 83.2 GWh deployed, a 43% rise from January through September 2025 compared to the same months last year. This year marks the first time battery capacity deployed in German-made EVs surpassed that of the US.

In sales terms Germany has been ahead of the US since 2023, but because the European nation’s EV manufacturing output includes a large number of plug-in hybrids which have inherently smaller batteries, it has lagged behind in GWh terms.

The fact that global average plug-in hybrid battery sizes have steadily increased over the years has also played a part in Germany catching up to the US. In the US, PHEVs make up only 13% of total EVs manufactured and sold so far this year, while in Germany the share is 27%.

January through September has seen 74.2 GWh deployed in EVs made in the US, registering growth of a much more modest 12% year over year. In Germany and the US, Tesla Model Ys led battery capacity deployed over other makes and models by a wide margin.

BEVs and PHEVs manufactured in South Korea and sold around the world had combined battery capacity of 27.7 GWh, a 28% jump over 2024, followed by Mexico  at 12.3 GWh, up 49% year over year.

In South Korea, local champion Hyundai with its popular Ioniq 5 leads the field while the Ford Mustang Mach-E is responsible for over a third of made-in-Mexico EVs in GWh terms.  

In position five is France, which managed to up battery capacity deployed in domestically made EVs by 61% to 11.3 GWh even as its home market struggles for traction this year. The rebirth of the Renault 5 as a full electric hatch is behind much of the success of French EV manufacturing this year.      

Japanese manufacturing is completely dominated by conventional hybrids, and when excluding these minimally electrified vehicles, the country lands only in position six. Among major EV manufacturers, Japan also stands out as the only country recording a contraction this year. The combined battery capacity of made-in-Japan BEVs and PHEVs sold domestically and exported worldwide came in at 10.7 GWh year to date, down 7% from the same months last year.  

Countries that have not yet crossed the 10 GWh level through end-September include the Czech Republic at 9.5 GWh, up 79% and Spain at 6.0 GWh up 15% year on year.

Made-in-India EVs increased combined battery capacity deployment by 93% with Indian conglomerate Mahindra’s XEV 9e leading the charge to the combined total of 5.9 GWh. The majority of EVs manufactured in India are sold domestically.

The same is true for Vietnam which grew by 136% to 4.3 GWh combined battery capacity deployed. The homegrown Vinfast brand has found few buyers overseas and nearly nine out of every 10 kWh deployed in made-in-Vietnam BEVs were inside the borders of the South East Asian nation.

Vietnam’s stellar performance pushed struggling Belgium (down 48% to 3.7 GWh) out of the top 10, and should the trend continue, fast-growing Turkey (up 94% to 3.5 GWh) could well relegate the European country further before the end of the year.      

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