Smaller electric cars lead the top 10 most ordered company cars for the first time

For the first time, two smaller electric vehicles (BEVs) top the list of the 10 most ordered company cars according to leasing company and mobility solutions provider Arval. In the first half of 2025, the Kia EV3 and the Skoda Elroq were the most popular cars. At the same time, Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 have disappeared after several years from the top 10.

“We knew that these smaller BEVs were catching up,’ says Christophe Janssen, Senior Mobility Leader, Head of AMO & Consulting at Arval Mobility Observatory Belgium. ‘They are getting better all the time and are also cheaper, which means they are more affordable. Now the tipping point has been reached: they are leaving their ICE (internal combustion engine) competitors behind.”

- Senior Mobility Leader, Head of Arval Mobility Observatory & Consulting at Arval Belgium

More than 8 out of 10 company cars (85.5%) ordered from Arval in the first half of the year are fully electric vehicles. The share of fully electric cars in new orders continues to grow steadily. Less than 10% (8.19%) are still powered by petrol or diesel. And just over 6% still opt for a plug-in hybrid. This is what emerges from the latest data from Arval Mobility Observatory.

Zooming in on each segment, one can see confirmation of a trend that has been visible for some time: the growth of BEVs in the lower segments of the company car market. The high ranking of the Volvo EX30 last year was the first sign of this. But now Arval's figures show that these models are actually conquering the market.

Whereas until recently, fuel engines were invariably chosen in the two lowest categories, this category now accounts for 11.44% of the total number of electric cars ordered. Category 3 (compact cars) accounts for a quarter (25.47%) of the total number of BEVs ordered, while the mid-range and larger company car segment accounts for over 41%. In the two highest segments, too, electric vehicles are preferred over plug-in hybrids or fuel engines.

An atypical top 10

So which more affordable electric cars are proving so popular? They are the Kia EV3 and the Skoda Elroq. The BMW iX1 completes the top three.

“These cars now beat their petrol-powered competitors in terms of TCO, the total cost including maintenance, other services and taxes. A few years ago, it was the other way around. The latest smaller electric cars often perform just as well than the larger models from a few years ago in terms of range and performance. It makes sense that these cars are appealing to many users."

- Senior Mobility Leader, Head of Arval Mobility Observatory & Consulting at Arval Belgium

With the Enyaq, Skoda has another model in the top 10, as do BMW and Audi, which each have two models in the top 10. While Tesla has secured a permanent place in the list of most popular commercial vehicles in recent years with its Model 3 and Model Y, the Model 3 is now only in 11th place, with the Model Y in 14th place.

Another observation: while Chinese car brands are gradually establishing themselves in countries such as Norway and the United Kingdom, they have not yet managed to break into the Belgian market through leasing. This may be due to high import taxes in Europe, which drive up prices for consumers. As Norway and the United Kingdom are not part of the EU, Chinese car manufacturers are not subject to these high import taxes.