New car sales in the European Union jumped 9.2% this September, propelled by a notable uptick in electric and hybrid vehicle sales, according to data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) on Friday. The increase marks the 14th consecutive month of sales growth in the region.
Electric car sales rose by 14.3% year-over-year, while full hybrid sales surged by more than 30%. “Fully-electric cars constituted 14.8% of total sales. When you add in plug-in hybrids and full hybrids, these greener options make up just over half of all new car sales,” stated an ACEA spokesperson.
Meanwhile, diesel car sales continue to decline, making up only 12.5% of total sales, down from 15.9% the previous year. This is a significant drop, considering diesel vehicles made up over 50% of new car sales as recently as 2015.
Leading the sales chart, Volkswagen reported a 9.6% increase in sales this September, according to ACEA data. Stellantis and Renault followed suit with sales gains of 11.3% and 5.1% respectively.
The European car market is showing signs of recovery from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the global semiconductor chip shortage. “Despite a 14-month growth streak, the sales for the first nine months of 2023 are still 20% lower compared to the same period in 2019,” the ACEA spokesperson added.
Across the broader European market, including the EU, Britain, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), new vehicle registrations increased by 11.1% to 1.17 million units in September, further signaling a positive trend in the industry’s recovery.
