Study: Estonian residents prefer European, Asian electric cars

TALLINN - According to a survey conducted by financial services group Citadele, half of residents of Estonia would choose an electric car from a European manufacturer if they were to purchase an electric car, while a quarter would opt for a vehicle from an Asian manufacturer, with only six percent preferring US-made electric vehicles.

"Asian electric vehicle manufacturers have entered the Estonian market more assertively of late, introducing both new models and dealerships. We asked people in Estonia which region's manufacturer they would prefer if they were to buy an electric car today. As many as 24 percent said they would choose an Asian brand, while 53 percent preferred European manufacturers," said Rainer Moppel, manager of Citadele Leasing. He noted that Asian brands, especially Chinese ones, often offer more competitive prices, which is certainly one reason for their growing popularity.

According to data from the Estonian Association of Motor Vehicle Dealers and Service Companies (AMTEL), 72 brand new electric cars were sold in Estonia in April 2025, accounting for 6.7 percent of all new car sales that month. Of these, 24 were electric vehicles from Asian manufacturers, making up 33 percent of all electric cars sold in April.

"That figure is even slightly higher than the preference revealed in our survey," Moppel added.

Of US-made electric cars, 10 units were sold in April.

"When it comes to US-made electric cars, their higher price level and the smaller selection compared to European and Asian models likely becomes decisive for many. Elon Musk's recent utterances and actions have also reduced Tesla's sales both in Europe and the US," the executive said. 

According to AMTEL, Tesla registrations in Estonia from January to April this year dropped by 48 percent from the same period last year. According to Moppel, this is also due to the impact of the car tax, which has reduced the sales of all categories of cars.

An interesting revelation offered by the survey is that Asian-made electric cars are preferred more by men, while women tend to lean more toward European manufacturers. Sixty percent of women would prefer a European-made car compared to 47 percent of men. Meanwhile, 34 percent of men would choose an Asian manufacturer, but only 15 percent of women would do the same.

People in Estonia are more open to Asian electric cars compared to respondents in Latvia and Lithuania. In Estonia, 24 percent of respondents would prefer an electric car from the Asian region, while in Latvia this figure is 18 percent and in Lithuania, 15 percent. According to the Citadele survey, our Baltic peers would rather purchase electric cars from European manufacturers. In Latvia, 58 percent of people responded this way, and in Lithuania, the ratio of such responses was 64 percent.

Rodion Põder, business manager for BYD in Estonia, notes that while Chinese cars were viewed with great mistrust just a couple of years ago, customer attitudes are clearly changing.

"Awareness has increased, and trust is growing. Chinese manufacturers, like BYD, have made a strong leap forward in terms of design, technology, and quality," he said

Põder noted that while the Estonian electric car market is still evolving, changes are happening rapidly.

"The offering is expanding, and competition is intensifying. Asian manufacturers, especially Chinese ones, are here to stay. They can offer competitive prices and levels of extras that European manufacturers can't always match," he said.

However, according to Põder, challenges in Estonia still include the development of the charging network and generally raising awareness about the opportunities and limitations associated with using electric cars.