Noah Romsdal Hallundbæk Sørensen
While much of the auto industry struggles with slowing sales, Europe’s electric vehicle market is accelerating.
Electric vehicle sales are struggling in the United States, weighed down by political division and abrupt policy changes.
Across Europe, however, the market is moving in the opposite direction, with battery-powered cars gaining ground even as overall auto demand softens.
New figures show electric vehicles captured a larger slice of the European Union’s car market in January. This came despite a 3.9% contraction in total vehicle sales compared with the same month last year.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), EVs made up 19.3% of new car sales in January, up from 14.9% a year earlier, a five-point rise.
Hybrids remained the top-selling category overall, accounting for 38.6% of registrations. By contrast, the combined share of petrol and diesel cars without hybrid technology fell sharply to 30.1%, down from 39.5% last year.
Market shifts
Volkswagen retained its position as Europe’s leading electric car seller, delivering 17,230 units. However, Dataforce figures cited by Automotive News show that total marked a 17% year-on-year decline as competition intensified.
Renault advanced five positions to rank second in EV sales. The French automaker increased deliveries by 64% to 14,447 vehicles, supported by demand for lower-priced models such as the Renault 5 E-Tech, Scenic E-Tech and Renault 4 E-Tech.
Tesla’s standing continued to weaken. The company dropped to tenth place after selling 7,794 units in January, a 17% decrease from a year earlier.
Rising rivals
Chinese manufacturer BYD nearly doubled its European EV sales, climbing six spots and overtaking Tesla with 8,711 units sold, up 94% year on year. The expansion came despite a 27% EU tariff on electric cars produced in China.
Industry data indicate that competitively priced models are driving much of the growth. In France, BYD’s Dolphin Surf starts at €18,990, while Renault’s revived Twingo and Renault 5 are priced from €15,870 and €21,370 respectively.
The figures suggest cost remains central to consumer adoption. As European brands roll out more affordable electric options, the market’s direction contrasts sharply with the more turbulent trajectory seen in the United States.
Sources: InsideEV
