The European Union’s car market continued to contract in September, with new registrations declining by 6.1% compared to the previous year.
Major markets, including France, Italy, and Germany, saw sharp decreases of 11.1%, 10.7%, and 7%, respectively, while Spain reported a 6.3% rise in registrations, bucking the regional trend.
Despite challenging conditions, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose by 9.8% in September, yet year-to-date volumes are down by 5.8%, largely influenced by a 28.6% decline in Germany.
BEVs currently hold a 17.3% market share, an increase from 14.8% in 2023. Conversely, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) saw a 22.3% drop in registrations, reducing their market share to 6.8% from 8.2% last year.
In contrast, hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) gained traction with a 12.5% rise in registrations, now capturing a 32.8% share of the market, surpassing petrol-powered vehicles. Sales of petrol cars fell by 17.9% in September, with all major markets recording double-digit drops.
Diesel vehicles faced a steeper decline, with sales down 23.5%, leaving petrol and diesel vehicles at 29.8% and 10.4% of the market, respectively.
Source: ACEA
