Between 2017 and 2022, the trade of electric and hybrid cars in the EU registered a staggering increase. In 2022, 42% of the total number of cars imported were electric or hybrid, indicating an increase of 35 percentage points (pp) compared with 2017. The change in exports was also clear with a 24 pp increase in 2022 (26% of the total number of cars exported) from 2017 (2% of the total).
Non-plug-in hybrid cars went from 6% of total car imports and 0.4% of car exports in 2017 to 21% and 13%, respectively, in 2022. Full electric cars represented 15% (+14 pp compared with 2017) of car imports and 9% of exports (+8 pp) in 2022, plug-in hybrid cars represented 7% (+6 pp) of car imports and 4% of exports (+3 pp).
In terms of value, in 2022, the EU spent a total of €37.0 billion on imports from extra-EU countries on hybrid and electric cars, an increase of 27%, compared with 2021 (€29.1 billion). Imports of non-plug-in hybrid cars were worth €16.0 billion, followed by full electric cars (12.6 billion) and plug-in hybrid cars (€8.4 billion).
Exports of the same products to extra-EU countries amounted to €59.1 billion in total value, +41% compared with 2021 (€42.0 billion). Non-plug-in hybrid cars exports totalled €28.5 billion, while exports of full electric cars reached €22.4 billion and plug-in hybrid cars €8.1 billion.
![EU imports and exports of hybrid and electric cars, 2017 and 2022, share in the total number of car imported and exported by the EU - click to enlarge Bar chart: EU imports and exports of hybrid and electric cars, 2017 and 2022, share in the total number of car imported and exported by the EU](https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/4187653/16179950/international-trade-cars-V3-061123.png/a0f8e72a-b741-56f6-475b-6f600e185d6a?t=1698916129457)
Source dataset: DS-059322
Main partner for non-plug-in hybrid cars
Non-plug-in hybrid cars was the largest category traded among the hybrid and electric cars. The top 3 extra-EU countries from which the EU imported non-plug-in hybrid cars were the United Kingdom with €3.4 billion (corresponding to 21% of the total imports for non-plug-in hybrid cars), followed by Japan (€2.8 billion) with a percentage share of 18% and Türkiye (€2.5 billion) with a 15% share.
The top three main extra-EU countries for exports were the United States (€8.7 billion) with a percentage share of 30%, followed by the United Kingdom (€4.5 billion) with 16%, and Norway (€4.3 billion) with 15%.
![Extra-EU trade in non-plug-in hybrid cars, % of value, 2022 - click to enlarge Infographic: Extra-EU trade in non-plug-in hybrid cars, % of value, 2022](https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/4187653/16179950/international-trade-cars-V2-061123.png/b79bea2a-dfe9-ddfe-637e-0dd2fe4ca8e8?t=1698916128536)
Source dataset: DS-059322
More information
- Statistics Explained article on international trade in hybrid and electric cars
- Thematic section on international trade in goods
- Database on international trade in goods
Methodological notes
- This news article concerns only passenger cars.
- Combined Nomenclature products codes used:
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