Understanding the dynamics of the Ukrainian car market, particularly in relation to electric vehicles, involves navigating a landscape of diverse data sources. While general statistics on new car registrations are available online, these often exclude a significant segment of the market: imported used electric vehicles. This category has become increasingly vital in Ukraine and presents a more comprehensive picture of the electric vehicle landscape.
In September 2025, data from the Ukrainian Automobile Association, UkrAutoprom, revealed that a total of approximately 6,800 new vehicles, across all types of drivetrains, were sold. Notably, fully electric cars constituted 2,261 of these sales, translating to about one-third of the total.
Dominance of Imported Used Electric Vehicles
The Ukrainian Institute for Automotive Market Research highlighted that the majority of electric vehicles newly registered in Ukraine are not new but rather imported used cars. Many of these vehicles are sourced from China, though specifics about one-day registrations remain unclear. The Institute reported that 6,473 imported used electric cars were registered, a figure that nearly matches the total for all new car registrations and is triple the number of new electric cars.
Interestingly, the Institute’s data slightly diverges from UkrAutoprom’s, recording 2,088 new electric car registrations. Additionally, they noted 3,552 instances of used electric cars changing ownership within Ukraine. This brings the total number of electric car transactions for September to 12,113, encompassing new, imported used, and domestic used vehicles. However, it’s important to clarify that this figure should not be misinterpreted as new electric cars alone.
In terms of brand popularity, data from Germany, despite requiring careful interpretation, suggests that BYD, a Chinese manufacturer of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, led the market. With 989 new registrations, BYD’s presence surged by 438% compared to the previous year. Toyota and Volkswagen followed, with another Chinese brand, Zeekr, also appearing among the top ten.
VW ID. UNYX Gains Traction
From a German perspective, the rise of VW’s ID. UNYX is particularly noteworthy. UkrAutoprom recorded 432 new registrations for this model in September 2024. Although designed for the Chinese market and essentially a Cupra Tavascan with a VW badge, the model’s popularity in Ukraine might be attributed to grey imports rather than official ones from Anhui, China.
The prevalence of imports from China is further underscored by the adaptation of charging infrastructure in Ukraine. Some local charging stations now offer compatibility with the Chinese GB/T standard. For instance, Okko, Ukraine’s leading petrol station chain, features these charging points at nearly 50 sites, as depicted on their overview map. Additionally, adapters and vehicle conversions to European standards are available to support this growing trend.
Sources for further reading include eauto.org.ua and ukrautoprom.com.ua, both in Ukrainian, as well as dev.ua.
Original Story at www.electrive.com