Contents
- Passenger vehicle sales statistics: global new-car registrations in 2024
- Passenger vehicle sales statistics: major regional and country markets
- Passenger vehicle sales statistics: U.S. passenger-car share of new light-duty vehicles
- Passenger vehicle sales statistics: EU registrations and powertrain shares
- Passenger vehicle sales statistics: EU country registrations in H1 2025
- Passenger vehicle sales statistics: EU country registrations and 2024 changes
- Passenger vehicle sales statistics: EU car registration trends, 2015–2024
- Sources
Passenger vehicle sales statistics: global new-car registrations in 2024
Worldwide new-car registrations reached 74,595,159 in 2024, a 2.5% increase from 72,808,891 in 2023. These provisional figures describe registrations, a measure of vehicles newly recorded in a market, rather than production. The scale of the global total provides context for the regional breakdown: Asia accounted for 48.9% of registrations, while Europe represented 21.6% and North America 20.5%. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, Table 2
| Region | Registrations in 2024 | Change from 2023 | 2024 share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | 36,443,271 | +1.0% | 48.9% |
| Europe | 16,107,996 | +3.9% | 21.6% |
| North America | 15,273,220 | +3.8% | 20.5% |
| Middle East/Africa | 3,757,180 | +2.3% | 5.0% |
| World | 74,595,159 | +2.5% | 100.0% |
The report’s North America grouping is based on production type, a qualification that matters when comparing it with geographic regional categories. Asia was the largest region by registrations and share; its 36,443,271 registrations were up 1.0%. Europe and North America each grew faster in percentage terms, at 3.9% and 3.8%, respectively. The Middle East/Africa grouping recorded 3,757,180 registrations, up 2.3%. These changes describe the reported year-over-year movement; they do not by themselves identify what drove it. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, Table 2 and North America footnote
Passenger vehicle sales statistics: major regional and country markets
China was the largest individual country market in the selected 2024 figures, with 22,934,722 new-car registrations, up 2.6% from 2023. The United States recorded 12,701,449, up 3.1%. India registered 4,360,625, an increase of 4.8%, while Japan recorded 3,710,912, down 7.0%. These country totals sit within the report’s global passenger-car registration framework. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, Table 2
| Country or market | 2024 registrations | Change from 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| China | 22,934,722 | +2.6% |
| United States | 12,701,449 | +3.1% |
| India | 4,360,625 | +4.8% |
| Japan | 3,710,912 | -7.0% |
| Brazil | 1,934,073 | +12.5% |
| United Kingdom | 1,952,778 | +2.6% |
| Russia | 1,505,284 | +46.4% |
| Türkiye | 980,240 | +1.3% |
| South Korea | 1,410,965 | -5.1% |
| European Union | 10,632,381 | +0.8% |
Brazil’s 1,934,073 registrations were up 12.5%, and the United Kingdom’s 1,952,778 were up 2.6%. Russia recorded 1,505,284 registrations, a 46.4% year-over-year rise, the largest percentage increase among these selected markets. Türkiye recorded 980,240, up 1.3%, while South Korea’s 1,410,965 represented a 5.1% decline. The EU total of 10,632,381 was up 0.8%. Each percentage is the report’s comparison with 2023, and these figures should not be read as a ranking of every country worldwide. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, Table 2
Passenger vehicle sales statistics: U.S. passenger-car share of new light-duty vehicles
Passenger-car registrations and the share of new vehicles classified as cars are different measures. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center presents the vehicle-type composition of new U.S. light-duty vehicles, drawing on the EPA Automotive Trends Report. In that series, cars made up 36.7% of new light-duty vehicles in 2024; the page marks that value preliminary. The corresponding shares were 36.9% in 2023, 37.5% in 2022, and 37.1% in 2021. Source: AFDC, “Composition of New U.S. Light-Duty Vehicles by Vehicle Type”
| Year | Cars as a share of new U.S. light-duty vehicles |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 36.7%* |
| 2023 | 36.9% |
| 2022 | 37.5% |
| 2021 | 37.1% |
| 2020 | 43.9% |
| 2019 | 44.4% |
*2024 value is preliminary.
The series also reports car shares of 43.9% in 2020 and 44.4% in 2019. The values show that cars represented a smaller portion of new light-duty vehicles in 2021–2024 than in 2019–2020. This is a composition statistic: it does not give the number of cars sold, and the denominator includes all new U.S. light-duty vehicles in the table. It should not be treated as interchangeable with ACEA’s passenger-car registration totals for a country or region. Source: AFDC, “Composition of New U.S. Light-Duty Vehicles by Vehicle Type”
Passenger vehicle sales statistics: EU registrations and powertrain shares
For full-year 2024, petrol cars held the largest reported EU powertrain share at 33.3%. Hybrid-electric cars represented 30.9%, battery-electric cars 13.6%, and diesel cars 11.9% of new EU car registrations. These are shares of the registration market, not shares of the entire in-use vehicle fleet. The four figures offer a view of the reported categories but are not a complete breakdown of every powertrain category. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, page 8
The first half of 2025 provides a later comparison for several categories. Battery-electric cars accounted for 15.6% of the EU market in H1 2025, compared with 12.5% in H1 2024. Hybrid-electric cars captured 34.8% in H1 2025. Petrol and diesel cars together represented 37.8%, down from 48.2% in H1 2024. These paired half-year figures compare the same six-month period across years; they are not full-year results. Source: ACEA, “New car registrations: -1.9% in H1 2025; battery-electric 15.6% market share,” page 1
Registration counts add another dimension to those H1 2025 shares. The EU recorded 869,271 new battery-electric cars, 1,942,762 hybrid-electric cars, and 469,410 plug-in-hybrid electric cars. Their reported market shares were 15.6%, 34.8%, and 8.4%, respectively. The categories are listed separately as presented in the source; a plug-in hybrid should not be conflated with the source’s hybrid-electric category. Source: ACEA, “New car registrations: -1.9% in H1 2025; battery-electric 15.6% market share,” page 2
| EU powertrain measure | Period | Registrations or share |
|---|---|---|
| Battery-electric | 2024 | 13.6% share |
| Diesel | 2024 | 11.9% share |
| Petrol | 2024 | 33.3% share |
| Hybrid-electric | 2024 | 30.9% share |
| Battery-electric | H1 2025 | 869,271; 15.6% share |
| Hybrid-electric | H1 2025 | 1,942,762; 34.8% share |
| Plug-in hybrid electric | H1 2025 | 469,410; 8.4% share |
The 2024 and H1 2025 figures indicate different reported shares across periods, but the comparison must preserve the time windows: one is a full calendar year and the other is six months. In particular, the H1 2025 count cannot be compared directly with a full-year registration count. Market shares describe the distribution within each stated period, while counts describe registered vehicles during that period. Sources: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, page 8; ACEA, “New car registrations: -1.9% in H1 2025; battery-electric 15.6% market share,” pages 1–2
Passenger vehicle sales statistics: EU country registrations in H1 2025
The EU recorded 5,576,568 new-car registrations in H1 2025, down 1.9% from 5,684,279 in H1 2024. Germany was the largest of the listed country markets, with 1,402,789 registrations and 25.2% of the EU total. Italy recorded 855,028, or 15.3%; France had 842,204, or 15.1%; and Spain recorded 609,801, or 10.9%. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – First half 2025, Table 3
| Market | H1 2025 registrations | Change from H1 2024 | Share of EU H1 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | 5,576,568 | -1.9% | 100.0% |
| Germany | 1,402,789 | -4.7% | 25.2% |
| Italy | 855,028 | -3.6% | 15.3% |
| France | 842,204 | -7.9% | 15.1% |
| Spain | 609,801 | +13.9% | 10.9% |
| Poland | 285,311 | +3.0% | — |
Germany, Italy, and France each had fewer registrations than in H1 2024, with reported declines of 4.7%, 3.6%, and 7.9%. Spain increased 13.9% and Poland increased 3.0%. Poland’s registration count is included, but no share is shown here because the selected observation does not supply one. The country shares for Germany, Italy, France, and Spain retain the source’s EU denominator and H1 2025 period. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – First half 2025, Table 3
Passenger vehicle sales statistics: EU country registrations and 2024 changes
Full-year 2024 results show a different mix of movement among the largest listed EU markets. Germany registered 2,817,331 new cars, down 1.0% from 2023. France registered 1,718,412, down 3.2%, and Italy recorded 1,559,229, down 0.5%. Spain moved in the opposite direction: its 1,016,885 registrations were up 7.1%. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, Table 3
| EU country | 2024 registrations | Change from 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2,817,331 | -1.0% |
| France | 1,718,412 | -3.2% |
| Italy | 1,559,229 | -0.5% |
| Spain | 1,016,885 | +7.1% |
All four figures refer to new passenger-car registrations over the full calendar year. Germany had the highest total among these four, while Spain was the only one with a year-over-year increase. France had the largest percentage decline in this group, and Italy’s change was smaller at -0.5%. The data describe the outcomes, without specifying reasons for the differing national results. Source: ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, Table 3
Passenger vehicle sales statistics: EU car registration trends, 2015–2024
The ACEA Pocket Guide reports annual percentage changes in new EU car registrations from 2015 through 2024. The series increased each year from 2015 to 2019: growth was 10.0% in 2015, 7.8% in 2016, 5.4% in 2017, 1.6% in 2018, and 1.9% in 2019. The chart presents annual growth rates and registration volumes in millions; the figures below are the percentage changes, not vehicle counts. Source: ACEA, ACEA Pocket Guide 2025–2026, page 29
| Year | Annual change in new EU car registrations |
|---|---|
| 2015 | +10.0% |
| 2016 | +7.8% |
| 2017 | +5.4% |
| 2018 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | -23.7% |
| 2021 | -2.4% |
| 2022 | -4.5% |
| 2023 | +13.9% |
| 2024 | +0.8% |
The series then shows declines of 23.7% in 2020, 2.4% in 2021, and 4.5% in 2022. Registrations increased 13.9% in 2023, followed by 0.8% growth in 2024. Read together, these observations distinguish the sharpest contraction in the series from the subsequent annual movements, while avoiding an inference about causes. The 2024 rate also aligns with ACEA’s full-year report, which gives EU registrations of 10,632,381, up 0.8% from 2023. The rates are year-over-year changes, so they should not be summed to produce a total-period change. Sources: ACEA, ACEA Pocket Guide 2025–2026, page 29; ACEA, Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024, Table 2
Sources
- Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – Full year 2024
- Economic and Market Report: Global and EU auto industry – First half 2025
- ACEA Pocket Guide 2025–2026
- Composition of New U.S. Light-Duty Vehicles by Vehicle Type
- New car registrations: -1.9% in H1 2025; battery-electric 15.6% market share