The reduction, explains the EEA, is linked to the increased share of registered zero-emission vehicles. The data is based on information on all newly registered cars and vans, provided by the countries.
10.8 million new cars were registered in the European Union (EU), Norway, and Iceland in 2025, nearly equal to the number in 2024.
On average, these vehicles emit 96.7 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre (CO2/km), which is 10 grams less CO2/km than in 2024 (106.7 CO2/km).
A decrease that is mainly due to the increase in electric cars, which last year reached 18.9% of the total, an increase of 4.5 percentage points compared to 2024.
Plug-in hybrid cars accounted for 9.7%.
According to the newly released data, the share of fully electric vehicles was highest in Norway (96%), Denmark (69%) and Iceland (43%).
In 2025, 1.2 million new vans were registered in the EU, Norway, and Iceland, representing a 9% drop from 2024.
Average emissions were 172.1 grams of CO2/km, a reduction of 12.8 grams of CO2/km compared to 2024.
Fully electric vans accounted for 10.3% of the total fleet (up from 6.2% in 2024), and 1.7% of new vans were plug-in hybrids. The highest share of fully electric vans in the fleet was found in the Netherlands (84%), Norway (46%) and Denmark (31%).












CO2 is not a pollutant, it is a gas of life, the proliferation of which in the atmosphere enables a massive greening of the earth. All those plants we and other animals eat; they absolutely love that "pollutant". More tacit political posturing in an article that somehow fails to mention the real pollutants emanating from internal combustion - namely, CO, NOx, and hydrocarbons. Oh, but forget all those. No, no, we have to go after the politically expedient gas.
By Tony from USA on 26 Jun 2026, 19:44