Electric cars overtook diesel in June for the first time in new car sales in Europe, the manufacturers’ association (ACEA) announced on Wednesday.
With 158,000 vehicles sold, electric cars went from 10.7 to 15.1% market share in one year. Sales soared above all in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Belgium.
This increase was mainly driven by Tesla, which cut its prices. One in five electric vehicles sold in Europe in the first half of the year belongs to the Elon Musk brand.
Hybrid car sales also saw a strong boost, now accounting for 24.3% of the market, driven by sales in Germany, France and Italy.
Sales of rechargeable hybrids (which can be charged by plugging into a socket or terminal) already fell in one year, obtaining 7.9% of the market.
Petrol remains the main fuel for cars sold in the EU, with 36.3% of sales in June, an increase of 11%.
Overall, new car sales recovered in Europe in the first half of the year, up 17.9% in 12 months.
Yet despite 5.4 million cars sold, the market slowed 21% compared to the first half of 2019, the last all-record year before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The evolution of recent months shows that the European automotive industry is recovering from the logistical problems caused by the pandemic,” ACEA underlines in a statement.
The European car market has returned to sustainable growth since August 2022, when the COVID-19 crisis, combined with shortages of parts, including crucial electronic components, rocked it.
Source: TSF
