The effect of the end of bonuses in Germany? Are vehicles still too expensive for consumers? Last month, European drivers bought more diesel cars than electric cars, although in one year sales of the latter increased by 28.9%, while diesel sales fell by 5%.
Almost 115,000 diesel registered compared to 93,000 electric
Specifically, last month in Europe, sales of electric cars fell to 10.9% of registrations in the European Union, according to figures published on Tuesday by the Association of European Manufacturers. On average throughout last year, sales of electric cars reached 14.3% of new car registrations.
In the month of January, 92,741 electric cars were sold in the European Union. But this figure is eclipsed by another: the 114,415 diesel cars registered last month. Therefore, in January European drivers bought more diesel (13.4% of the market) than zero-emission cars.
The effect of the end of bonuses in Germany?
In these figures we should not necessarily look for a renewed love for diesel but rather the slowdown in the electric market. Sales of these cars were strongly affected by the sudden elimination in Germany of the environmental bonus for individuals, which favored the purchase of these vehicles, which were still much more expensive than their thermal equivalents.
If in France the premium only decreases from mid-February, the figures for the coming months will tell if the market still needs support.
In general, the European market is slowing down. As a whole, the European market remained at a very low level with 851,690 sales (+12.1% compared to an already very low month of January 2023, held back by the shortage of electronic chips and logistical problems). The main markets, such as Germany, Italy, France and Spain, experienced strong and illusory increases.
Source: BFM TV
