EVs Take 59.0% Share In Sweden — Mercedes CLA Arrives

Help CleanTechnica’s work by way of a Substack subscription or on Stripe.

August noticed plugin EVs take 59.0% share in Sweden, up from 56.0% year-on-year. BEV share fell YoY, whereas PHEV share elevated. Total auto quantity was 20,168 items, up 6% YoY. The Volvo EX40 was the best-selling BEV in August.

August’s auto gross sales noticed mixed plugin EVs take 59.0% share in Sweden, with full battery-electrics (BEVs) at 33.6% and plugin hybrids (PHEVs) at 25.5%. These shares examine YoY in opposition to 56.0% mixed, 35.7% BEV and 20.3% PHEV.

Stepping again to take a look at 2025 cumulative year-to-date outcomes, mixed plugins now stand at 61.1% (35.0% BEVs), in comparison with 2024 YTD figures of 55.7% (32.4% BEV), and 2023 figures of 58.5% (37.8% BEV). Briefly, whereas there was a partial restoration from 2024’s weak spot, Sweden’s transition continues to be barely modified from the place it was 2 years in the past. PHEVs have elevated their share, however — extra importantly — BEVs have misplaced share.

The beneath chart offers a visible illustration of BEVs’ latest destructive trajectory. The transition has turn out to be a humiliation, particularly when in comparison with Sweden’s fast tempo of progress in 2020 and 2021.

Finest-Promoting BEV Fashions

The Volvo EX40 was as soon as once more the best-selling BEV in August, its fifth time within the prime spot this yr, with 493 items bought.

The Volkswagen ID.7 was shut behind, with 441 items delivered, simply forward of the Kia EV3, with 431 items delivered.

There have been few notable performances within the prime 20, aside from anticipated variance because of the batch logistics for sure fashions.

Stepping again, the Kia EV3 has completed very nicely since its launch in late 2024, and is now a daily member of the highest 5, and, more and more, the highest 3. Equally, the Volvo EX90, additionally launched in late 2024, is now recurrently rating across the tenth spot, a terrific consequence given its premium pricing.

A few different fashions peaked early after debuting and have now settled again to barely decrease quantity (although nonetheless first rate). These embrace the likes of the Porsche Macan, the Audi Q6 (each now usually outdoors the highest 20), and, extra not too long ago, maybe the Audi A6 (although it’s nonetheless too early to inform whether or not the A6 has peaked).

A more moderen brilliant spot has been the progress of the Renault 5, which stood in thirteenth spot in August (from tenth in July), and is now constantly seeing over 150 items per 30 days and showing recurrently within the center ranks.

The R5’s progress contrasts with that of its different B-segment rivals. The Hyundai Inster continues to be seeing low volumes in Sweden (round 10 items per 30 days) since launching in February. Likewise, the Citroën e-C3 is faring equally, with round 15 items per 30 days not too long ago. The Renault 4 has nonetheless solely seen showroom volumes for now, however might have an opportunity to do nicely as soon as it will get correct allocation.

There have been a number of BEV debutants in August. The Hyundai Ioniq 9 arrived (36 items) and can compete with different massive 3-row fashions, the Kia EV9, the VW ID. Buzz, and the present chief, the Volvo EX90.

Talking of which, the EX90’s new sibling, the Volvo ES90, debuted in August with 22 items. This can be a premium massive sedan-coupe (5,000 mm in size), shares its platform with the EX90, and begins from 929,000 SEK (€84,300). At this value level, the ES90 might even see an preliminary surge (from these with deep pockets who’ve been ready for simply this type of automobile), however will then possible settle again to modest volumes.

A extra essential debutant was the brand new Mercedes CLA, which registered 30 preliminary items. These might have been principally dealership items, though the automobile is now out there to order on the Mercedes web site, with indicated supply dates from September onwards.

The Mercedes CLA is a D-segment sedan (4,723 mm), ranging from 633,000 SEK (€57,400) in Sweden. It’s additionally the primary mannequin that includes Mercedes’ new technology of BEV powertrains, with nice effectivity (800V and low drag), class-leading vary (over 700 km WLTP in some configurations), and fairly quick charging (320 kW peak). On paper, this needs to be a quicker road-trip automobile than the Tesla Mannequin 3, albeit dearer. Let’s see the way it will get on.

Now’s time to inspect the longer-term rankings:

Right here, the competitors between the Volvo EX40 and the Volkswagen ID.7 stays tight, with simply 4% distinction in quantity separating them. They’ve swapped positions because the prior 3-month interval.

The remaining members of the highest 10 are precisely the identical as 3 months prior, with some minor shuffling of positions. The Kia EV3 has climbed two spots, now in 4th, and the Polestar 4 has not too long ago climbed three spots, now in fifth.

With two record-volume months, the Volvo EX90 has now climbed to fifteenth, from twenty fourth within the prior interval. Likewise, the Renault 5 has climbed to seventeenth, from thirty third beforehand. Each ought to have just a little additional to climb earlier than they discover their candy spot.

Within the coming couple of months we might even see the Cupra Tavascan enter the highest 20 (now in twenty first), and later maybe the Zeekr 7x (now in twenty seventh).

Outlook

When will Sweden — as soon as one of many two main markets of the EV transition — get again to BEV development?

The macroeconomy is reasonable, with Q2 2025 recording 1.4% YoY GDP development, up from 0.6% in Q1. Headline inflation elevated to 1.1% and rates of interest are regular at 2%. Manufacturing PMI improved to 55.3 factors in August, from 54.4 in July.

What are your ideas on Sweden’s EV transition? What is going to it take to show round diminishing BEV gross sales and get again to a development development? Please share your perspective and ideas within the dialogue beneath.