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Published on 14.01.2021 
In the first quarter of 2025, global sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles increased by 35% compared to the first quarter of 2024, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).[1]. At the same time, the global automotive market has seen more modest growth of 4% over the last year.
In a market affected by economic and political uncertainty, electric vehicle sales are expected to continue to grow, according to the International Energy Agency. Electric cars could thus account for over 40% of global sales by 2030.
However, the dynamics vary between geographical areas.
Emerging markets in Asia and Latin America are becoming new growth hubs, with electric car sales jumping by over 60% in 2024 to reach nearly 600,000 units, roughly the size of the European market five years earlier.
In China in particular, thanks to continued incentives to replace older vehicles and falling prices for electric cars, the IEA estimates that electric cars should account for around 60% of total car sales in 2025.
In Europe, carbon dioxide targets will enable a market share of nearly 60% to be achieved by 2030. Despite a 6% decline in passenger car sales and a 10% decline in combustion engine sales, electric vehicle sales in Europe rose 12% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year (source: Marklines).
Meanwhile, the U.S. market share is growing much more modestly than in the IEA’s previous outlook, with a figure of around 20% by 2030 based on current policy directions, less than half the share projected for 2030 a year ago.
After a decade of exponential growth driven by an initial adoption phase, the French electric vehicle market stabilized in 2024, reaching a record 26% market share in December.
Government subsidies (ecological bonus, social leasing) are supporting the demand.
The number of electric vehicles on the road continues to rise and reached 2,210,256 in May 2025.
🔎 Discover more about the electric-mobility market in France
Source: Avere France
Driven by tax incentives (tax exemption on company vehicles, depreciation for company vehicles, accelerated depreciation for heavy goods vehicles), companies are accelerating their investments (+50% for legal entities, including +14.2% for companies in May 2025).
The French market’s vitality can also be explained by the expansion of the vehicle range, with several vehicles in the top 10 sales in 2024 being made in France! The Renault plant in Douai produces the Renault Mégane E-Tech, the R5 E-Tech, and the Scénic E-Tech SUV, while the Maubeuge plant assembles the Kangoo E-Tech and the upcoming Renault 4 E-Tech.
The French market is strengthened by European regulations designed to advance the electric transition.
Since January 1, 2020, carmakers have been required to meet EU targets for CO2 emissions. Average emissions for each manufacturer’s fleet of European-registered vehicles are limited to 95 g CO2/km, with stiff financial penalties for those who fail to comply.
In 2023, a revision of this regulation requires all new vehicles registered from 2035 onwards to be zero-emission, thereby contributing to the EU’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050.[2].
However, in support of the European automotive sector, which is suffering from the effects of technological change and increasing competition, a new amendment to CO₂ performance standards for manufacturers of new cars and vans was approved on May 8, 2025, by the European Parliament. Their carbon emissions will no longer be calculated over one year, but over three years, from 2025 to 2027. An approach that will enable manufacturers to avoid fines scheduled for December 31, 2025, in the event that they have polluted too much during the past year.
As carmakers update their lines to meet these targets, the number of electric models will skyrocket between 2025 and 2035.
2.Fit for 55: why the EU is toughening CO2 emission standards for cars and vans – Consilium
But favorable regulations aren’t the only reason for the growth in Europe’s EV offer: lithium battery factories are springing up across the continent.
While the European automotive industry was dependent on imports, mainly from China, the construction of a dozen battery production plants should put an end to this dependence.
Europe chose the site in Nersac, Charente, for its first factory. The Automotive Cells Company pilot line, located at the heart of Saft’s hub, began production in late 2021.
This European “Airbus of batteries” project, led by the PSA Group and Saft, a subsidiary of Total, puts France at the forefront.
The Hauts-de-France region was then chosen by the group for the establishment of a gigafactory in Billy-Berclau/Douvrin. The first block of the gigafactory was inaugurated in May 2023. Production began in early 2024. Objectives: 40GWh, 800,000 batteries per year for C vehicles, 2,000 employees by 2030.
Together, the facilities in Nersac and Douvrin should make a million electric batteries between now and 2030, or 10%-15% of the European market.
In Hauts-de-France, ACC was quickly joined by four other international groups, thereby positioning Hauts-de-France as the European Battery Valley.
France was an automotive pioneer and has a strong automaking culture.
Today the French industry accounts for:
Cf.La filière automobile | Direction générale des Entreprises
France also has a tightly-woven automotive ecosystem—a powerful asset in a sector where producers often prefer to locate sites close to consumers.
For EV manufacturers that want to keep supply, production and distribution with easy reach of markets, we’re a destination of choice.
What’s more, French industrial policy favors electric vehicles, with an R&D effort already underway.
The overall goal is to manufacture electric vehicles that perform better and cost less, with a special focus on batteries.
This effort also aims to create an infrastructure that will spur demand for electric vehicles, in particular by working with energy companies to install charging stations.
Hauts-de-France has a strong industrial culture, making it an ideal destination for manufacturing, and since 2016 we’ve been France’s #1 region for foreign industrial investment.
In particular, we’ve attracted major players in the automotive industry, with Peugeot Citroën arriving in Trith-Saint-Léger in 1954, Renault setting up in Maubeuge in 1969, and Toyota starting work on its new site in Onnaing in 1999.
Currently, the Hauts-de-France region is home to three global manufacturers (Renault, Stellantis, and Toyota) across seven production sites.
Hauts-de-France is also France’s #1 automotive region by number of vehicles made, with 600,000 vehicles manufactured annually. We’re also #1 for gearbox production, making 1.3 million units a year.
In all, our region accounts for:
The region’s strengths have convinced many of the world’s battery manufacturers. Since 2020, 5 production plants have been announced:
ACC – Gigafactory in Douvrin
2020
Renault & AESC announce its Gigafactory in Douai
2021
Verkor – Gigafactory in Dunkirk
2022
ProLogium – robust battery Gigafactory in Dunkirk
2023
Tiamat – Sodium Ion battery production in Amiens
2024
Thanks to ACC, AESC, Verkor and ProLogium, Tiamat and Enersys, global regional production of lithium-ion batteries will reach 162 GWh/year.
A whole ecosystem is built up around them, attracting other companies upstream (refining, cathode production) and downstream (recycling), such as XTC-Orano, Battri, Enchem, Hydrovolt and Eramet-Suez.
🔎 Everything you need to know about the electric mobility sector in Hauts-de-France.
Hauts-de-France offers an outstanding location in the heart of a massive market with 83 million consumers. And we’re within easy reach of three major European capitals—Paris, London and Brussels.
Because we’re at the crossroads of Europe, Hauts-de-France is also a major player in international trade. In fact, we’re the fifth-largest export region and the second-largest import region in France, thanks to our competitive infrastructures, from maritime facilities to rail to road.
🔎 Find out how to optimize your flows with the Hauts-de-France.
Hauts-de-France is home to 550 automotive equipment manufacturers and subcontractors—a business ecosystem with globally recognized know-how that will help make your investment a success.
The region and its business community also encourage workers to acquire new skills, with special emphasis on training.
In 2013 the industry launched a training center for the rail, automotive and ecomobility industries (Campus ferroviaire, industries automobiles et éco-mobilité), reflecting our commitment to meeting the challenges of tomorrow—and especially the need to convert our automotive fleet to electric power.
Industry insights
Jérôme Bodelle, CEO of CRITT M2A
CRITT M2A is an independent research center in Bruay-La-Buissière, southwest of Lille. We provide R&D testing services to the auto industry in four key areas: powertrains, turbochargers, acoustics and vibration (NVH), and—since 2014—electric vehicle technology.
Our work on EVs includes testing of the entire electric powertrain: cells, modules and electric batteries.
We work with automakers, equipment manufacturers and consulting firms, and we tailor our testing services to each client’s needs, focusing on charging, for example or battery durability.
Clients work with us to:
- pool skills and resources to move the automotive industry forward in a high-demand market segment
- anticipate and meet critical auto industry needs
- develop solutions that benefit the industry in Hauts-de-France and across Europe
In my view, France’s key advantages for the vehicle market are the low cost of electricity (25%-50% less than in Germany, for example) and our tightly-woven ecosystem of automotive SMEs.
That said, French automotive culture is focused largely on heat engines, so we need to invest in training and the energy transition to close the gap with Asia and other competitors.
Our ecosystem—and particularly our pool of R&D experts—plays an important role even though automaker have adopted very different strategies, with some investing in internal R&D and others preferring to outsource.
CRITT M2A offers a comprehensive vision and experience acquired from a wide range of projects. We harness these assets for our clients, working with them to design effective solutions on fairly tight timelines.
The Hauts-de-France Regional Council has made electric mobility one of its key priorities.
The Hauts-de-France Regional Council has made electric mobility a priority, investing massively to support sustainability projects in the region and a plan to develop electric mobility.
Hauts-de-France is also running a charging station deployment pilot, working with partners in the French State and at Ademe, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency.
Two companies specializing in charging solutions already have a presence in our region: DBT Group in Brebières and Indelec Mobility in Douai.
Céline Carlot
Hugo Besnier
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