EU electric car sales jump 43% as Chinese brands capture 20% market

In May, electric‑vehicle registrations in the European Union rose 43% year‑on‑year, marking a record month for pure‑electric sales. The surge was driven by a broader model range and stabilising prices, with German sales exceeding 60,000 units and French registrations nearly doubling. Spain added more than 12,000 new EVs, a 35% increase, but still lags behind its neighbours. One in five electric cars sold in Europe now comes from Chinese manufacturers such as BYD, MG and Chery, whose lower‑priced models are forcing traditional European OEMs like Volkswagen and Stellantis to tighten discounts and accelerate cheaper compact launches. Public incentives, which can cut purchase prices by up to €7,000, continue to underpin demand.

The rapid growth of EVs has also turned them into highly connected devices, exposing new cybersecurity risks. Modern electric cars exchange data constantly with cloud services, charging stations and mobile apps, creating a large surface for credential theft and unauthorised access. Industry observers warn that poor password management and shared logins can jeopardise both user data and fleet operations. Experts recommend centralised credential‑storage solutions to improve permission control, auditability and rapid revocation of access when staff turnover occurs, positioning cyber‑security as a strategic priority for the sector.