Brussels: The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association announced on Tuesday an increase in the growth rate of new car sales across the continent in December.

According to Qatar News Agency, the association reported that new car sales in Europe rose by 5.8 percent last month, compared with a 2.1 percent increase year on year in the previous November. However, it was noted that the total sales volume in 2025 remained below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

The report highlighted that sales of battery-electric vehicles experienced a significant growth of 51 percent year on year last month. Similarly, sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles increased by 36.7 percent, and sales of hybrid electric vehicles rose by 5.8 percent year on year. In contrast, sales of petrol and diesel cars saw declines of 19.2 percent and 22.4 percent, respectively.

Data revealed that battery-electric vehicles accounted for 17.4 percent of the European Union market share in 2025, an increase from 13.6 percent the previous year.