September 28, 2021

As Carmakers Brace For Supply Problems, EVs, PHEVs Outsold Diesels In Europe For The First Time


EVs and plug-in hybrids outsold diesel-powered ones in Europe for the first time. This is according to automotive market research company JATO that studied data for 26 European markets.

JATO saw new car registrations slowing in August to 713,714 units (down 18 percent). This marks the lowest recorded volume in August since 2014. However, at least year-to-date volumes still remain higher this year compared to the first eight months of 2020 (8,095,419 units to 7,192,839).

Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics, commented: “The chip shortage has been a major setback for OEMs still grappling with the effects of the pandemic. Production issues and delays in the delivery of new cars have been damaging to sales, and the lack of availability at dealerships is forcing many consumers to either look for used cars or simply delay their purchase. In usual circumstances, consumers may expect to wait lots of months for a new Ferrari, but they are now experiencing the same delay for regular models.”

However, JATO saw sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids continue to grow. A sharp uptick in demand last month saw these vehicles post their second highest ever monthly market share at 21 percent. The 151,737 units registered last month marks a year-on-year increase of 61 percent and takes total volume since January to 1.32 million units.

In August, EVs and plug-in hybrids outsold their diesel counterparts by 10,100 units. This is considerable jump from November last year where it took the combined sales of EVs, PHEVs, mild, and full hybrids to match diesel-powered vehicles.

Demand was particularly strong for the electric versions of the Fiat 500, Peugeot 208, Hyundai Kona, Opel Corsa, and Kia Niro, in addition to the outstanding results of the Volkswagen ID.3 (top photo)—Europe’s top-selling EV during the month.

Overall, the best-selling vehicle in Europe last August was the Dacia Sandero. The low-cost sub-compact also became Europe’s fifth best-selling car for the first eight months of 2021.

The Dacia outsold the Volkswagen Golf, in second position, which posted a year-on-year monthly decrease of 38 percent but still leads the year-to-date rankings. Dacia’s Duster also entered the top 5 in fourth position, increasing its volume by 4 percent. Other notable achievements include the Fiat 500, which was boosted by the EV model, the Hyundai Tucson, and the BMW 3-Series which topped the premium rankings.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Feel free to comment or share your views. Comments that are derogatory and/or spam will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to moderate and/or remove comments.