Kathmandu, February 17
Nepal has secured the second position in the world in terms of electric vehicle (EV) sales.
In 2025, Nepal ranked second globally for the highest share of electric cars sold, with Norway in Europe taking the top position. Norway became the world leader in 2025 after 97 per cent of its new car sales were electric, while Nepal stood in second place.
Globally, Nepal ranked second as EVs accounted for an estimated 73 per cent of total new car sales in 2025, compared to just 8 per cent in 2019.
A comparison between 2019 and 2025 shows a sharp rise in EV sales in Nepal during this period.
China remains the largest EV market in absolute numbers, with more than 13 million electric vehicles sold in 2025. In 2019, electric vehicles were still considered a niche purchase in most countries, accounting for only a single-digit share of new car sales. By 2025, EVs had become dominant in many markets. In Norway, EVs accounted for 97 per cent of new car sales, meaning nearly every new car sold was electric.
Many other countries have crossed the 50 per cent threshold, and in China, EVs made up more than half of all new car sales in the world’s largest automobile market.
According to data from the International Energy Agency and Ember, EVs include both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Compared to 2019, Nepal increased its EV sales share by 61 percentage points by 2025. During the same period, Finland and Denmark also surpassed 50 per cent.
In percentage terms, Norway leads globally, while China dominates in absolute numbers. EV sales in China are estimated to have reached more than 13.2 million units in 2025, representing 53 per cent of new car sales. This makes China the largest EV market by volume and one of the fastest-growing by market share.
In the United States, EV sales accounted for 10 per cent of total new car sales in 2025, equivalent to around 1.6 million units. European markets have also seen significant growth in EV sales.
Belgium reached 43 per cent, the Netherlands 56 per cent, Portugal 37 per cent, and the United Kingdom 33 per cent, all showing notable increases compared to 2019.
