PARIS, Jan 18 — New car sales in Europe rebounded with a bang in 2023, rising by 13.9 per cent as electric vehicles overtook diesel for the first time, an industry group said today.
Sales of new electric cars shot up by 37 per cent year-on-year and accounted for 14.6 per cent of those overall, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said.
The figures marked a stark turnabout from those of 2022, when new vehicle registrations dropped to their lowest levels since 1993 as component shortages hindered automakers.
In particular, sales in France, Italy and Spain posted double-digit increases, compared with 2022.
Sales were still far below pre-Covid levels, however.
Automakers are facing a 2035 deadline set by the European Union to phase out sales of new combustion engine vehicles.
Sales of hybrid cars also soared last year, up by nearly 30 per cent.
However, plug-in hybrids — those equipped with a thermal engine and a small rechargeable electric battery — saw sales decline for the first time, dropping seven per cent, after many governments phased out state incentives.
However, petrol cars still remained a large part of the new vehicle market, at 35.3 per cent of Europe-wide sales last year, representing 3.7 million cars.
Volkswagen remained in pole position among car manufacturers, with the group selling 2.8 million new cars in 2023, up by 18 per cent on the previous year.
French auto maker Renault saw sales growth of 16.9 per cent through the year, although Stellantis — whose vehicle brands include Fiat and Jeep — only saw sales climb by a more modest 2.9 per cent.
Elon Musk’s Tesla saw sales of its electric cars in Europe nearly double last year, with 279,000 vehicles sold as EV purchases soared. — AFP
