Then and Now: How the SERPs have changed for ‘Electric Cars’ as Google shifts to brand-dominated SERPs

Search results for electric vehicles have shifted dramatically over the last few years. What was once a scene dominated by traditional manufacturers and established review sites has evolved into a more dynamic and competitive space, with new players and emerging trends reshaping the rankings.

In this piece, we’ll explore how search results for electric vehicles have changed, why some websites have gained or lost visibility, and what these shifts mean for brands looking to improve their online presence.

Electric Cars Now vs. 3 years ago

To understand how the SERPs for electric cars have changed, we have looked at the rankings of key brands between March 2022 and March 2025. This comparison reveals the dynamic shifts in website visibility and provides insight into the impact of evolving search and market trends.

‘Electric Cars’ top 10, March 2022 vs. March 2025

‘Electric Cars’ top 10, March 2025

Winners

#1 Whatcar.com has experienced an impressive rise, moving from 17th place in March 2022 to the top spot in March 2025. This 16-position jump highlights the site’s effective content strategy and authority in the electric vehicle space. Their comprehensive reviews, expert insights, and authoritative content have resonated with users, securing their position at the top of the SERPs.

#2 Kia.com has seen a great improvement, jumping from 41st to 5th place. This surge can be attributed in part to the rising popularity of their electric vehicle offerings, such as the Kia EV6. Their focus on EVs and informational content has helped them gain significant visibility and appeal to a growing eco-conscious audience.

#3 Topgear.com has seen a slight drop in rank, moving from 4th to 2nd, but remains a strong contender. Despite the competition, Top Gear’s balance of entertaining content, authoritative reviews and its established reputation as a trusted source has helped maintain its visibility. This slight dip reflects increasing competition but also emphasises their ability to remain relevant.

Losers

#1 Autoexpress.co.uk: Autoexpress has dropped out of the top 10, signalling a significant decline in its search visibility. The decline may be due to several factors, such as a lack of robust content strategy, or the growing influence of more specialised websites focusing on EVs. As the market becomes more competitive, they may have struggled to adapt to shifting user interests.

#2 Nissan.com: Traditionally a dominant force in the industry, Nissan has dropped out of the top 10 from its position in the 6th spot. This decline reflects a broader trend where traditional automakers are losing ground to newer, more focused EV platforms and manufacturers. In 2022, the Nissan Leaf was among the top 5 best-selling electric cars in the UK, but in recent years has seen models like Tesla Model 3, MG4 and BMW i4 knock the Leaf out the rankings.

#3 Toyota.com: Toyota has fallen out of the top 10 rankings in March 2025, despite strong historic performance. As the market has shifted towards EVs, Toyota’s more conservative approach has impacted its online visibility, as consumers and search engines increasingly favour brands with a more significant presence in the EV market.

The factors driving SERP changes

1)      Rise of new and challenger manufacturers

The EV market has seen the entry of other manufacturers over the last few years, including the likes of BYD, OMODA & GMW ORA. With sizable marketing strategies and the ability to offer cutting-edge technology at an affordable price, it brings a new challenge for manufacturers and search engines to keep up with.

2)      Consumer behaviour & brand awareness

One of the biggest factors influencing shifts in SERP rankings is the changing behaviour of consumers researching EVs. As interest has surged, trends have shifted from general awareness queries like ‘What are electric cars?”, instead including more brand-specific searches like “Tesla Model 3 vs BMW i4 comparison”. Brand differentiation is more important than ever, especially when it comes to search, so to succeed it’s important not to neglect your brand building.

OMODA & Jaecoo were announced as the first-ever official automotive partner of the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), and anyone who watched the UEFA Euro’s last year will be familiar with the UK’s No. 1 NEV maker BYD (which resulted in a surge in searches for ‘NEV’ across the UK)

Google trends data for ‘NEV’ during 2024 UEFA Euros

How brands can grow in search in 2025

 1)      Focus on quality and engaging content

You should be able to reach consumers at all stages of the purchasing funnel, from awareness straight through to purchasing. This means investing in your content strategies and ensuring that a strong plan is in place to reach your audience at all touch points.

Not only should you be producing market-leading product pages, equipped with all the technical features a purchaser could want, but you also need to diversify. Invest in informative content that answers a question or compares models for different needs. Look into interactive tools or video content across channels like YouTube and TikTok, which will allow you to engage a new audience to drive searches of your brand and increase awareness.

With the increase in AI-powered overviews and interactive SERP features, brands must ensure that content contains authoritative answers that can be easily understood by LLMs. Content should be well-structured, using headings and bullet points where possible.

2)      Embrace niche topics

There are billions of searches performed on Google each day and this number is only increasing. With this, the number of unique searches grows, too. Don’t be afraid to invest in topics that are more niche and aren’t as competitive as others. This will show your brand’s expertise in a topic, as well as capture the traffic that – while is lower in demand – may be higher in purchase intent, or unfamiliar with your brand and introduced this way.

3)      Invest in multichannel strategies

 By maintaining a consistent presence across multiple platforms, brands can strengthen their authority, increase brand searches, and improve their overall performance in search.

The change in consumer preferences, rise of AI-driven search and increasing competition means it’s important for brands to stay ahead. The takeaway is clear – it is crucial to adapt. Those that invest in high-quality and engaging content, as well as leverage multimedia strategies as part of their SEO will be well-positioned to thrive in search long-term.

Discover key search trends, winning strategies, and how your brand can dominate search results in 2025, get in touch today.