The number of new cars placed on the market increased in January on an annual basis in the European Union, according to data posted on the website of ACEA, the professional representative organization of European car manufacturers, on Tuesday.
In January, compared to a year earlier, the number of new passenger cars put on the market rose by 12.1 percent to 851,690. A 3.3 percent decline was recorded in December, the first decline after 16 months of continuous growth.
January sales increased in all the leading markets of the EU: in Germany, they exceeded last January’s level by 19.1 percent, in Italy by 10.6 percent, in France by 9.2 percent, and in Spain by 7.3 percent.
The market share of battery-only electric cars (BEVs) increased from 9.5 percent to 10.9 percent in one year, and that of hybrid electric cars (HEVs) from 26.1 percent to 28.8 percent. The market share of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cars, which can also be charged from the grid, rose from 7.1 percent to 7.8 percent. The combined market share of gasoline and diesel cars was 48.6 percent in January 2024, which is a decrease compared to 53.7 percent a year ago.
Last year, the car market of the European Union closed with a strong expansion of 13.9 percent compared to 2022, with 10.5 million new cars sold. Double-digit growth was recorded in most countries, including the three largest markets: Italy (+18.9 percent), Spain (+16.7 percent) and France (+16.1 percent). In Germany, sales of new cars increased more modestly last year, by 7.3 percent.
The market share of battery-only electric vehicles (BEVs) rose to 14.6 percent last year from 12.1 percent in 2022, ahead of diesel, whose share shrank from 16.4 percent to 13.6 percent. Gasoline cars maintained their leading position with a market share of 35.3 percent but decreased from 36.4 percent in 2022. Last year, hybrid-electric cars (HEVs) took the second largest share of the car market, with a market share of 25.8 percent, which is higher than 22.7 percent a year earlier. At the same time, the market share of “plug-in” hybrid (PHEV) cars that can also be charged from the grid decreased from 9.4 percent to 7.7 percent.
(MTI)
