Chinese automakers have surged in the plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) segment across Europe, reporting a striking 645 % increase in this category, according to “Handelsblatt” citing data from the industry service Dataforce. Overall, the European PHEV market grew by 33 % this year.
The boom also carries a trade‑policy element: plug‑in hybrids from China have, unlike purely electric cars, not yet been hit by the EU’s balancing duties. This advantage is reflected in the bestselling lists.
In 2025, the best‑selling plug‑in hybrid in Europe was the BYD Seal U, with roughly 72,800 new registrations, followed by the plug‑in version of the VW Tiguan with about 66,000 sales. The Dataforce figures are based on registration data from all 27 EU member states plus the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.