{"text":[[{"start":9.09,"text":"Sales of electric vehicles in Europe rose 30 per cent to a record high in 2025, with battery-powered models outselling petrol cars for the first time in December."}],[{"start":21.240000000000002,"text":"The rise came despite a 38 per cent drop in Tesla’s annual sales across the continent, with Elon Musk’s group losing its crown as the world’s largest EV maker to Chinese rival BYD."}],[{"start":35.92,"text":"Electric vehicles accounted for 17 per cent of EU car sales in 2025, compared with 14 per cent a year earlier, helped by new models from carmakers including Renault, Volkswagen and BMW."}],[{"start":51.36,"text":"Overall volumes remained below pre-pandemic levels, with new car registrations in the EU increasing 1.8 per cent last year."}],[{"start":60.79,"text":"In December, EV sales rose 51 per cent year on year to take a 22.6 per cent share for the month, just above the 22.5 per cent for petrol-driven cars, according to new data from European car industry body Acea. Hybrids and diesel cars accounted for the remainder."}],[{"start":81.14,"text":"Despite the strong growth, car executives have lobbied hard to weaken an EU ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035, saying consumer demand remains weak without discounts from governments and manufacturers."}],[{"start":96.29,"text":"In response, Brussels has proposed 90 rather than 100 per cent of new cars sold from that date will have to be zero-emission models. As a condition, manufacturers would have to use low-carbon steel and sustainable fuels."}],[{"start":113.37,"text":"To support EV sales, Germany also recently launched a €3bn subsidy scheme."}],[{"start":120.4,"text":"Some analysts have predicted slowing growth in Europe and the US this year following the EU’s proposed regulatory changes and the Trump administration’s cancellation of EV credits."}],[{"start":133.20000000000002,"text":"But in an interview, Håkan Samuelsson, chief executive of Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars, said that with the rollout of better products with longer ranges and faster charging times, demand was no longer driven primarily by government incentives."}],[{"start":149.68,"text":"“It’s a strong growth globally in Europe,” Samuelsson said on the sidelines of a recent launch event for its EX60 electric sport utility vehicle. “Customers are curious about EVs and they’re getting better cars."}],[{"start":163.86,"text":"Chris Heron, secretary-general of EV trade association E-Mobility Europe, said European markets no longer required further regulatory easing."}],[{"start":175.14000000000001,"text":"“Any further steps back from the 2035 goal would undermine consumer confidence at precisely the wrong moment.”"}],[{"start":184.49,"text":"Sales of EVs in Europe have also been boosted by an influx of new affordable models from BYD and other Chinese carmakers. According to Acea, BYD had a 1.4 per cent market share in the EU and the UK last year, while the figure for SAIC-owned MG was 2.3 per cent."}],[{"start":214.92000000000002,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1769555411_7420.mp3"}