In September, global sales of plug-in electric cars soared to unprecedented levels, reaching 1.3 million units, marking the highest recorded figure to date. This surge, reported by EV-Volumes data and shared by researcher Jose Pontes, represents a notable 23 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Rechargeable cars secured a robust share of 17 percent in global car registrations, with all-electric cars alone claiming 12 percent. When factoring in non-rechargeable hybrids, the total share of electrified cars, collectively known as xEVs (BEVs, PHEVs, HEVs), reached an estimated 29 percent.
The breakdown of plug-in car registrations for the month is as follows:
- Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs): Approximately 890,000 units and a 12% market share.
- Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs): Around 400,000 units and a 5% market share.
- Total: 1,291,077 units, reflecting a 23% increase and a 17% market share.
Year-to-date, over 9.4 million plug-in electric cars have been registered globally, constituting approximately 16 percent of the total volume. The year-to-date breakdown is as follows:
- BEVs: Over 6.5 million units.
- PHEVs: Over 2.8 million units.
- Total: 9,459,019 units, marking a 39% increase and over 16% market share.
For reference, in 2022, the global registration of new passenger plug-in electric cars exceeded 10 million units for the first time. Analysts anticipate a substantial improvement in this figure for 2023, potentially surpassing 13 million units.
The Tesla Model Y maintained its position as the world’s best-selling plug-in model in September, with over 121,000 new registrations. However, BYD dominated the top rankings with five nameplates in the top 10, reflecting the growing competition faced by established brands from Europe and North America, particularly as eight Chinese models secured positions in the top tier.
Top 10 Plug-In Models for the Month:
- Tesla Model Y – 121,258
- BYD Song Plus – 63,800 (10,108 BEVs + 53,692 PHEVs)
- BYD Qin Plus – 43,010 (11,844 BEVs + 31,166 PHEVs)
- BYD Yuan Plus (aka Atto 3) – 35,378
- BYD Seagull – 35,012
- BYD Dolphin – 27,240
- GAC Aion Y – 27,004
- Tesla Model 3 – 26,058
- BYD Han – 22,936 (10,554 BEVs + 12,382 PHEVs)
- GAC Aion S – 21,548
In terms of brands, BYD emerged as the undisputed leader, with over 273,000 new registrations in September. Tesla secured the second position, exclusively selling all-electric cars, but BYD is making strides in closing the gap.
Top 10 Brands for the Month:
- BYD – 273,728
- Tesla – 154,009
- GAC Aion – 51,034
- BMW – 48,908
- SAIC-GM-Wuling – 43,208
- Volkswagen – 40,465
- Mercedes-Benz – 37,323
- Changan – 36,675
- Li Auto – 36,060
- SAIC – 35,104
After the first nine months of 2024, BYD’s lead, almost two million units, over Tesla (over 1.3 million) has widened, signaling a significant gap between these two major players and the rest of the industry.
