Dutch car sales rise in October on surge in electric vehicles

Car sales in the Netherlands continued to grow in October, driven by increased demand for fully electric vehicles, industry groups BOVAG and RAI Vereniging report.

Last month, 34,724 new passenger cars were registered, an 8.3 percent increase compared with October 2024. Nearly half of the registrations were hybrid vehicles.

Volkswagen, Skoda, and Kia were the top-selling brands. The most registered model was the Skoda Elroq, followed by the Kia Picanto and Kia EV3.

October marked the second consecutive month of year-on-year growth in new car sales. Earlier in 2025, the sector experienced declines, but recent trends indicate a recovery as the year draws to a close.

BOVAG attributes the increase primarily to rising sales of fully electric cars. “These are the last months in which you can still purchase an EV with favorable tax benefits,” a spokesperson said. Until January 1, 2026, business drivers can benefit from a 17 percent tax rate on fully electric cars. After that, the standard 22 percent rate applies, the same as for gasoline or diesel vehicles.