European new car sales jumped 15.2% in July, the 12th consecutive month of growth as the auto industry recovers from pandemic-related supply chain issues, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
New car registrations reached 851,156 units as the EU recovers from last year’s component shortages. Most markets posted solid growth, including the four largest: France (+19.9%), Germany (+18.1%), Spain (+10.7%) and Italy (+8.7%).
From January to July 2023, new EU car registrations grew significantly (+17.6%), totalling 6.3 million units. Despite indications of the European automotive industry’s recovery from pandemic-related supply disruptions, year-to-date volumes are still 22% lower than in 2019. There were double-digit percentage gains in most markets during this seven-month period, including the four largest: Spain (+21.9%), Italy (+20.9%), France (+15.8%), and Germany (+13.6%).
In July, the market share of battery-electric cars rose to 13.6% (up from 9.8% the same month last year). Hybrid-electric cars maintained their position as the second choice among new car buyers, capturing over a quarter of the market. However, internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, including petrol and diesel models, retained a combined market share of half of new car sales.
In July, new EU battery-electric car registrations substantially increased by 60.6%, reaching 115,971 units while accounting for 13.6% of the market. Most EU markets grew significantly by double- and triple-digit percentage gains, including the two largest, Germany (+68.9%) and France (+32.4%). Notably, Belgium recorded the highest sales with an impressive 235.9% growth. Cumulatively, battery-electric car sales recorded a significant 54.7% increase from January to July, with 819,725 units registered.
New hybrid-electric car registrations surged by 31.6% in July, primarily fuelled by solid growth in the region’s largest markets: Germany (+46.6%), France (+32.8%), Spain (+30.8%), and Italy (+16.7%). This led to a cumulative 28.5% increase, with almost 1.6 million units sold between January and July, equivalent to one-quarter of the market share.
Last month, new EU plug-in hybrid car registrations increased by 14.5%, reaching 67,060 units. Strong performance in major markets like the Netherlands (+107.6%), France (+80%), and Spain (+42.7%) was offset by a decline in Germany (-39.5%), the largest market for this fuel type. Despite this growth, the market share of plug-in hybrid cars remained stable at 7.9% in July.
In July, the EU petrol car market grew by 5%, reaching 304,903 units. However, market share decreased from 39.3% to 35.8% compared to last July. This growth was primarily driven by a solid performance in major markets, notably France (+16.4%) and Germany (+12.5%). Over 2.3 million petrol cars were sold in the first seven months of this year, a substantial 14.3% increase compared to 2022.
On the other hand, the EU’s market for diesel cars continued to decline (-9.1% in July) despite growth in Germany (+2.7%) and Central and Eastern European markets, particularly Slovakia (+36.1%) and Romania (+19.8%). Diesel cars now account for a market share of 14.1%, down from 17.9% in July last year.
[source: ACEA]
