Observing Europe’s difficulties with electric vehicles is especially ironic. This continent is credited with creating the internal combustion engine, transforming the automobile industry into a cultural institution, and defining the appearance and feel of a proper car for more than a century. However, you get the clear impression that Europe is now rushing to catch up in a race it thought it would lead when you are trying to parallel park a small electric city car in a London backstreet.
The figures are cruel. According to IEA data, over 20 million new cars were sold globally in 2025, with one in four being electric. Out of all countries, Vietnam achieved a 40% EV adoption rate for new car sales. Vietnam. In the meantime, European automakers are still attempting to figure out how to make a small electric hatchback reasonably priced for the typical consumer on a typical street in Leeds or Lyon.
Many people stopped acting as though everything was OK after Northvolt collapsed in late 2024. The Swedish battery startup was intended to be Europe’s response to China, a domestic remedy for the continent’s uneasy reliance on Asian supply chains. Rather, it turned into a warning about ambition surpassing execution. After years of quiet skepticism, experts suddenly found themselves voicing what they had been thinking in private: Europe may never develop an EV supply chain that is truly self-sufficient. When a 2035 hard deadline is enshrined in legislation, it is important to acknowledge that.
What’s intriguing, though, is that European automakers haven’t completely given up on the small car. This is easy to overlook beneath the headline anxiety. With its peculiarly endearing bulbous headlights and optional mango yellow paint, Renault’s new Twingo E-Tech is more than just a low-cost choice. It’s a subdued admission that the last ten years’ obsession with SUVs was an odd diversion from the environment. Big electric SUVs won’t solve the emissions issue, according to Renault’s own design chief. Smaller vehicles will. It’s not a ground-breaking realization, but it has taken an embarrassingly long time to put it into practice.
Timing and cost are the current challenges. In France, Renault’s Twingo starts at about €19,490. Chinese rivals are already circling that market with goods that are significantly less expensive than what European manufacturers are currently able to produce. As all of this is happening, there’s a sense that Europe’s window is closing rather than widening; the industry is still processing the implications of the fact that the window for establishing dominance passed sometime in 2021 or 2022.
It’s still unclear if consumers will just wait, consider their options, and select the badge that offers the best value, or if tighter import tariffs on Chinese EVs will give European automakers enough time to close the cost gap. Pressure to meet deadlines affects both parties. Urgency is created by the 2030 UK target and the 2035 EU mandate, but it is meaningless without a reasonably priced product. The rules of this race were established in Europe. Now, the more crucial question is whether its factories can truly deliver, and no one seems to know for sure.
FAQs
Q: Why is Europe struggling to lead the EV revolution?
A: Its carmakers lack affordable batteries and can’t yet match Chinese pricing.
Q: What happened to Northvolt?
A: Europe’s flagship battery startup collapsed in late 2024.
Q: What are the EU and UK deadlines for banning petrol cars?
A: The EU has set 2035; the UK moved its deadline to 2030.
Q: How does the Renault Twingo fit into Europe’s EV strategy?
A: It’s Europe’s best that small, affordable EVs can compete with Chinese rivals.
Q: How fast are global EV sales growing?
A: Over 20 million units sold in 2025 — one in four new cars globally.
