With Chinese brands like BYD, MG and Polestar gaining traction in Europe, the US electric vehicle brand Tesla has lost much of its stream since the last two months. Tesla registrations have plunged, according to a recent report of Jato Dynamics. The Elon Musk led brand saw its market share fell to 9.6 percent in February 2025 – the lowest it has been during the month of February over the last five years. Its year-to-date market share fell from 18.4 percent in 2024 to 7.7 percent this year. 

A total of 966,300 new passenger cars were registered in Europe in February 2025, marking a decline of three percent, compared to the corresponding month last year. As per the Jato Dynamics report encompassing 28 markets, sale of automobiles witnessed a decline in Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Ireland mainly. The year-to-date registrations fell by two percent to a total of 1,962,850 units.

Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst, Jato Dynamics, averred, “There are still no clear signs of recovery in the European automotive industry. Uncertainty in the domestic market is being further complicated by challenges in both China and the US.”

In February 2025, the registrations of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) increased by 26 percent to 164,000 units – the highest volume on record for both the month of February and the period of January to February. A total of 329,700 units were registered, up by 31 percent.

 Of the opinion that Tesla is experiencing a period of immense change while pointing at an increase in electric vehicle registrations in Europe, Munoz said, “In addition to Elon Musk’s increasingly active role in politics and the increased competition it is facing within the EV market, the brand is phasing out the existing version the Model Y – its best-selling vehicle – in anticipation of the introduction of a new refreshed version.”

“During this process, brands often experience a drop in sales before they return to normal levels, once the updated model becomes widely available. Brands like Tesla, which have a relatively limited model lineup, are particularly vulnerable to registration declines when undertaking a model changeover,” he added.

The registrations of the Model Y fell by 56 percent to 8,800 units in February 2025. The registrations of the Model 3 fell by 14 percent to 6,800 units.

“The difference in volume drops between these two vehicles suggests that the decline in the brand’s overall sales is more firmly rooted in the Model Y changeover than Musk’s political activity,” Munoz articulated. “However, it will be interesting to see to what extent demand rebounds once the new Model Y hits markets across the region,” he expressed.

Chinese brands outpace Tesla for BEV sales

The difficulties that Tesla is currently facing have created opportunities for some of its competitors. In February, Chinese-owned car brands registered 19,800 new electric vehicles in Europe, outpacing Tesla which registered just over 15,700 units. In the same month last year, the former registered 23,182 units compared to the 28,131 registered by Tesla.

The best-selling Chinese-owned car brands in February 2025 turned out to be Volvo, BYD and Polestar. While Volvo recorded a 30 percent drop in BEV registrations, BYD and Polestar made substantial gains, with increases of 94 percent and 84 percent respectively. Xpeng also performed well with more than 1,000 units, closely followed by Leapmotor with almost 900 units. 

Renault Group shines

Volkswagen group continued to lead the market with share of 25.8%. Stellantis followed in second position but lost 2.6 points of share when compared to February 2024 due to double-digit drops at Citroen, Opel/Vauxhall and Fiat. Renault Group was the month’s top performer, with a 12 percent increase in volumes and a market share gain of 1.5 points. The group’s strong performance in February can be attributed to positive results posted by the Renault Clio, Dacia Duster and the new Renault Symbioz and Renault 5. 

Much of Renault’s success was found in the BEV segment, with 9,400 BEVs registered in February, up by 96 percent. The French manufacturer was only outperformed by Volkswagen, which recorded a 108 percent increase in BEV sales. Other strong increases within the BEV segment included Audi (up by 67 percent), Kia (up by 56 percent), Skoda (up by 63 percent), Citroen (up by 190 percent), Cupra (up by 179 percent), Mini (up by 804 precent) and Ford (up by 146 percent). In contrast, Tesla, Volvo, MG, Fiat, Jeep and Smart recorded a sales decline in the respective month.   

The Dacia Sandero leads again

The Dacia Sandero once again led in the ranking by model as Europe’s most registered new vehicle during the month. Meanwhile, second position was occupied by the Citroen C3, with the new generation already being widely available. The Renault Clio followed closely in third thanks to a 22 percent increase in volumes – the second best within the top 10, only outperformed by the Volkswagen Tiguan, in ninth position, which recorded a 43 percent increase in registrations.

The Tesla Model Y and Skoda Octavia have dropped out of the top ten model rankings, making way for the Dacia Duster and Volkswagen Tiguan. The best-performing models in the top 100 included the Peugeot 3008 (with sales up by 40 percent), MG ZS (up by 47 percent), Skoda Kodiaq (up by 32 percent), Jeep Avenger (up by 40 percent), Volkswagen ID.4 (up by 150 percent), Volkswagen ID.3 (up by 114 percent), Skoda Enyaq (up by 41 percent), Mini Countryman (up by 109 percent), BMW 5 Series (up by 54 percen), Fiat 600 (up by 369 percent), Audi A5 (up by 181 percent), Audi A6 (up by 74 percent), Mercedes E-Class (up by 49 percent) and Cupra Born (up by 64 percent)

Image for representative purpose only.

Rapido, India’s leading ridesharing platform and one of the country’s youngest unicorns, has expanded its Pink Mobility initiative nationwide to create sustainable earning opportunities for women, championing employment generation, financial independence and skill development. In this direction, the company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Azad Foundation and Sakha Consulting Wings.

Through this partnership, Rapido is committed to creating job opportunities for women drivers through the platform, ensuring a fixed monthly earning opportunities up to INR 25,000 for female captains. It will also help trained women drivers with vehicle procurement, registrations, mentorship, safety training and awareness sessions. Further, it will collaborate with policymakers to address the systemic challenges faced by women drivers through joint initiatives with Azad Foundation and Sakha.

Rapido held an event at the India International Centre in New Delhi with the subject ‘EmpowHer: Driving Financial Inclusion and Empowerment’ to mark this milestone. Prominent speakers like Srinivas Rao, National Lead at Azad Foundation; Dr Arpita Mukherjee, Professor at ICRIER; Barsha Chakraborty from Breakthrough; Anjana from Sakha; Meenu Vadera, Founder of Azad Foundation; Sunaina Kumar, Senior Fellow at ORF and Executive Director at Think20 India Secretariat; Bornali Bhandari, Professor at NCAER; and Shweta Aprameya, Founder and CEO of ARTH and Co-Founder of HAPPY were among the programme's captivating panel discussions and thought-provoking fireside chats. Talks focused on important topics including establishing fair career paths, resolving safety concerns and improving financial literacy for women working in non-traditional fields.

Shravya Reddy, Chief of Staff, Rapido, said, “We are deeply grateful to the esteemed panellists and guests who joined us today, sharing invaluable insights on breaking barriers, advancing women’s empowerment in mobility and fostering financial independence. Empowering women is central to Rapido's mission, and the nationwide expansion of our Pink Mobility initiative reflects our commitment to creating a more inclusive mobility ecosystem. These discussions are critical to driving meaningful change for women in the workforce. We deeply appreciate the invaluable support from state governments, policymakers and our partners, who have enabled this growth. Above all, we are inspired by our incredible female captains whose resilience and dedication drive this initiative. Through our collaboration with Azad Foundation and Sakha, we are dedicated to offering women meaningful employment opportunities and equipping them with the resources they need to succeed. We look forward to expanding access to employment and financial independence for thousands of women across India."

Meenu Vadera, Founder, Azad Foundation and Sakha, said, "Gender equality and ensuring women are able to realise their human rights is the cornerstone for societal advancement. At Azad Foundation and Sakha, our mission is to enable women empower themselves, gain essential skills and earn sustainable livelihoods with dignity. Our partnership with Rapido reflects a shared commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable mobility sector. Together, we are proud to enable women to achieve financial independence and succeed in non-traditional roles, contributing to a more inclusive future."

Routematic, a leading corporate mobility solutions provider, has appointed Chidananda Murthy as Vice President – People and Culture with immediate effect.

Murthy has more than 20 years of experience in HR leadership positions with top international businesses. He oversaw the HR department for Walmart Global Sourcing in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan before joining Routematic. In this role, he oversaw company development, succession planning, talent retention programmes, talent evaluations and HR operations for the area. Additionally, he has successfully led workforce transformation, leadership development, post-M&A integrations and HR strategy while working with Nokia Networks, IBM, Oracle and Huawei. Murthy will oversee Routematic's people strategy, organisational culture and talent development in this capacity, promoting an inclusive and productive work environment. With a strong emphasis on long-term development and worker satisfaction, Murthy will be instrumental in propelling the business into its next stage of expansion.

Kavitha Ramachandragowda, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Routematic, said, "Chidananda's expertise in human capital management will be crucial as we scale our sustainable mobility solutions and expand our organisational footprint. His strategic leadership will not only strengthen our people-first culture but also ensure we continue to attract, retain and nurture top talent while fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and inclusivity."

Murthy said, “Routematic is at a pivotal growth stage, and I’m excited to help shape its people strategy. We are committed to fostering an empowering and inclusive culture – one that attracts top talent, nurtures innovation and drives long-term success. As we work towards redefining corporate mobility, I look forward to contributing to Routematics’ growth, well-being and transformation."

In an unfortunate incident on the upcoming Delhi-Dehradun expressway, two workers were injured after a pillar collapsed in the Saharanpur. The accident that occurred on Sunday, 23 March 2025, has been confirmed by Narendra Singh, Project Director at National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). This incident occurred when a concrete girder fell while being shifted using a machine. The injured were immediately rushed to the hospital.  

The pillar, built at a cost of INR 120 billion, was erected in Deoband as part of the Deoband Canal Flyover, near Meerut. Incidentally, this flyover is part of the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor. Police and the administration were prompt in reaching the site immediately after getting the information. It took about 3 hours for the police and local villagers to extract the buried workers. 

As per Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, it appears that some of the work was being carried out without adequate safety equipment. Acting swiftly on this lapse, NHAI has set up an expert committee to look into the technical causes of this incident. Prima facie, it has been stated that the crane’s string wire snapped, resulting in the fall of four already-launched girders and one girder. However, it has come to light that three to four other workers were also trapped underneath the debris and were rescued after major efforts.  

The 212 km long expressway is being built in four phases. However, this incident is likely to push back its launch by a few months. It will link Shastri Park, Khajuri Khas, Mandola, Baghpat, Shamli and Saharanpur to finally reach Dehradun. The new expressway will allow the 32 km stretch from Akshardham to Baghpat to be covered in just 25-30 mins. Major features of the Delhi-Dehradun expressway include 5 railway overbridges, a 76 km service road, 16 entry and exit points, 4 major bridges, 13 smaller bridges and 110 vehicle underpasses.   

Volkswagen Group UK has been recognised by The Carbon Literacy Project as a Silver Carbon Literate Organisation (CLO) for its unwavering dedication to lower its carbon emissions, address climate change and striving for a zero-carbon future.

A company is considered a CLO if it has been certified by The Carbon Literacy Project to have a significant percentage of its employees who are ‘Carbon Literate’ and exhibit this competency via organisational behaviour. The Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of CLO certification is a tiered system that demands ever greater degrees of dedication to climate change action and the development of a low-carbon culture. Under the direction of Leanne Thomas, Head of Aftersales Business Development, the Volkswagen Group has been offering voluntary Carbon Literacy training since 2022, and more than 200 workers have earned the certification. The Group offers its staff a customized Automotive Carbon Literacy curriculum.

Participants in the one-day training programme gain knowledge of the science behind climate change, its effects, ways to mitigate it and how the automotive sector is influencing it. Participants must also make a personal and professional commitment that is documented and supervised in order to receive their Carbon Literate credential. Individuals have personally undertaken a wide range of commitments, such as switching energy providers, altering eating and travel patterns, cutting less on fast fashion and moving many items to more environmentally friendly suppliers. Several teams have also started improvements in the workplace. These include installing solar panels, electrifying the vehicles, using more HVO fuels and LED lighting, reducing the number of printed documents in network and doing away with single-use cups.

Dave Coleman, Co-Founder and Managing Director, The Carbon Literacy Project, said, “Carbon Literacy is an essential skill, vital to every workplace, community and place of study. It is foundational knowledge and a catalyst to empowering people to act on climate, but it is only the first step. The actions taken and pledged by learners as part of their Carbon Literacy have an immediate impact within their organisation; however, it is the maintenance of these and further actions, supported by Carbon Literate organisational culture, that reaps the greatest rewards for both participants and their organisations. By becoming a Silver accredited Carbon Literate Organisation, Volkswagen Group UK has demonstrated its commitment to genuine low carbon action, environmental and economic impact and the building of a low carbon future for us all.”

Thomas said: “I am delighted that Volkswagen Group has achieved Silver accreditation, and to see the growing interest, engagement and excitement around the topic. Having support from members of our board of management has really helped us to move this forward, especially in allowing colleagues time and ‘permission’ to take part and then to fulfil their pledges. We’re really proud of the accreditation but even more proud of the changes we’re making and the impact it’s having on our carbon footprint. We’re looking forward to continuing to do more and grateful for the guidance and support of the Carbon Literacy Project team.”