The International Energy Agency (IEA) is spotlighting Uzbekistan for the country’s rapid embrace of electric vehicles (EVs).

An IEA report, titled Global EV Outlook 2025, notes that EV sales have skyrocketed in Uzbekistan, making the country the leading adopter in Central Asia. The report adds that the cost of imported EVs has fallen “almost threefold” in recent years.

The Uzbek State Customs Committee reported earlier this year that the number of imported electric and hybrid vehicles in 2024 exceeded that of gasoline-powered passenger cars. Figures published by the committee showed an overall total of 74,525 passenger cars were imported last year, with EVs accounting for 24,095 and hybrids an additional 17,480, a combined share of roughly 55%. 

The Uzbek government offers a variety of incentives to promote electric vehicle sales. Most imports, for example, are exempt from excise duties, customs fees and vehicle taxes. The government has also launched initiatives to boost domestic manufacturing capacity and expand the number of charging stations.

More broadly, the IEA report shows that China is tightening its grip on the global EV market. More than 17mn electric cars were sold worldwide in 2024, an increase of roughly 25% over the previous year’s sales total. China’s domestic market alone accounted for 11mn vehicles sold, almost two-thirds of the 2024 global sales total. 

In Uzbekistan, around 85% of EVs purchased in 2024 were Chinese models. Chinese-made EVs also enjoy large market shares in other Asian and Latin American markets. In Brazil, the largest auto market in South America, year-on-year EV sales doubled in 2024, reaching 125,000.

“Policy support and relatively affordable electric car imports from China played a central role in increasing sales in some emerging electric vehicle markets,” the report states.

This article first appeared on Eurasianet here.