The European Union is being overtaken by other regions both in renewable electricity and in electric vehicles.

Omissions

• The claim conflates two very different metrics: installed capacity/deployment volumes and manufacturing competitiveness on the one hand, and the share of renewable electricity in the power mix on the other. On the share metric the EU is still a global leader.
• Omitted context favourable to the EU: renewables reached about 47.3% of EU electricity generation in 2025 and wind and solar (30%) surpassed fossil fuels (29%) in EU power generation for the first time in 2025.
• The strongest supporting evidence concerns electric vehicles and Chinese EV penetration of the European market, not renewable electricity generation.
• Some of the most directly relevant reporting (Bloomberg, 2026-10-23) was published after the session date of 2026-10-21 and could not have been known by the speaker at that time.

Sources

• PrimaryEmber — Wind and solar generated more power than fossil fuels in the EU for the first time in 2025In 2025, wind and solar reach 30% of EU electricity generation, compared with 29% from fossil fuels. The crossover happens after fossil generation falls sharply.
• PrimaryICCT — Europe's battery electric car market closes 2025 at a 19% averageIn the same period, China reached a battery electric market average of 35%. The United Kingdom also closed the year above Europe's average.
• PrimaryIEA — Global EV Outlook 2026, Manufacturing and tradeIn Europe, sales of Chinese-made electric cars grew almost 50% from 2024 levels to reach about 940 000 in 2025.
• PrimaryIEA — Global EV Outlook 2026, Trends in electric carsThe BEV share in electric car sales rose from 55% in 2020 to nearly 70% in 2025. As a result, Europe and China reached similar shares of BEVs in EVs in 2025.
• SecondaryErste Group Research — Share of renewables in electricity generation varies across EuropeIn 2025, 47.3% of the electricity generated in the EU came from renewable energy sources.
• SecondaryBloomberg — Europe Hits the Brakes as China's EV Machine Scales UpEurope's carmakers are cutting back just as Beijing keeps accelerating. Volvo is deepening job cuts as sales slide in China.