Electrified MPVs are on a roll

During the first four months of this year, 291.7 GWh of battery capacity were deployed onto roads globally in all newly sold passenger EVs combined, 33% more than the same period last year.

The market for electrified multi-purpose vehicles or MPVs expanded at a much faster rate of 45% year on year with buyers rolling 11.8 GWh onto the world’s highways and byways from January through April 2025. MPVs now contribute 4% to global vehicle parc electrification.

Indicative of the numerous configurations and end-uses found in the segment, MPVs are known by different monikers around the world. Minivans are the go-to designation in North America, while the terms “people carriers” and “people movers” are used in the UK and Australia. South Africans call them kombis, the French refer to them as monospaces, and Germans as Großraumlimousinen (large space limousines).

The rapid expansion in combined battery capacity deployed is noticeable in particular because the segment is dominated by conventional hybrids which typically have power packs that top out at little more than 2 kWh.

Some 57% of the nearly 600,000 MPV units sold this year were HEVs in a market dominated by Japanese manufacturers. Toyota, together with its joint venture with FAW in China, captured a complete 36% of the segment globally. Add Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi, and the global market share reaches one half.

While minimally electrified MPVs are finding new fans in North America and Europe after years of slow growth, Chinese drivers increasingly opt for full electric MPVs. Year-on-year sales growth in the country for BEVs in the segment hit 74% through April while plug-in hybrid sales jumped 46%.   

In China MPVs make up 5% of the overall market in GWh terms after more than doubling since 2023. China represents 67% of global battery capacity deployed in MPVs this year, down from 72% in the same period last year.

The market (based on GWh deployed) has long been dominated by China’s three 9s: the Denza D9 (BYD’s upmarket brand), the Zeekr 009 and the Xpeng X9.

The large luxury X9 was recently refreshed and could rejoin the top three later in 2025 after being displaced by the new compact BYD Xia and the VW ID.Buzz – the original Kombi – during the first four months of the year.   

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