EVs are continuing their upward trajectory in Europe, with pure electric cars outselling diesel vehicles in the month of June.
Figures released the other week by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) show that in June 2023 158,252 EVs were sold across the European Union. That’s up 66.2 per cent from the same month last year.
EVs had a market share of 15.1 per cent in June, up from 10.7 per cent in June 2022.
In the month of June, electric is now the third most popular drivetrain type in the EU, behind petrol (36.3 per cent) and hybrid (24.3 per cent). Diesel, once the fuel of choice for new cars, sits in fourth place (13.4 per cent), while plug-in hybrids are fifth (7.9 per cent).
It should be noted, however, that EVs (12.9 per cent) are still in fourth place in the European year-to-date sales figures behind petrol (37.2 per cent), hybrid (24.9 per cent), and diesel (14.5 per cent).
Across all of western Europe — this includes the EU, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK — 938,912 EVs were sold from January to June, an increase of 42.0 per cent from 2022.
All markets tracked saw EV sales increase between 25.3 per cent to 160.8 per cent, with the one exception being Norway, where sales only grew 2.1 per cent.
That said, Norway still leads the way for per capita EV adoption. With EVs enjoying reduced registration, toll and sales tax costs, electric cars there enjoyed a 83.1 per cent market share.
EV sales growth (45.0 per cent) outpaced overall growth (17.6 per cent), which saw total sales grow to 6,588,937 vehicles.
Across the region, practically every manufacturer has enjoyed improved sales during the first half of the year, with the exceptions being Honda (down 22.9 per cent), and Mitsubishi (down 33.7 per cent) which is exiting the UK.
On the manufacturer leader board, the Volkswagen Group (1,701,866), Stellantis (1,145,815), Renault Group (648,467), Hyundai Group (575,432), and Toyota Group (450,341) were in the top five.
As far as individual brands go, Volkswagen (700,621) was streets ahead of second placed Toyota (422,110). Behind these two were a gaggle of marques around the 350,000 mark, including Audi, Skoda, Peugeot, Renault, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
