Tesla’s sales dropped 40.2 per cent , squeezing its market share to 0.8 per cent from 1.4 per cent a year ago. BYD’s sales jumped 225.3 per cent to give it 1.2 per cent of the market.New car sales in Europe rose 5.9 per cent in July, the best month for more than a year in a boost for the struggling industry as consumer confidence weakens, European Automobile Manufacturers Association data showed on Thursday.
Plug-in hybrid sales in the European Union recorded the biggest jump since at least January 2023, when the ACEA started reporting the figure, while those of battery-electric cars had the biggest increase since August 2023.
Germany, which in June presented an EV incentive plan replacing a subsidy scheme removed in 2023, recorded increases of 58 per cent and 83.6 per cent in BEV and PHEV sales respectively in July.
Despite rising EV sales, battery-electric carmaker Tesla lost market share in Europe for a seventh consecutive month and trailed China’s BYD, which was included in the monthly sales data for the first time.
Europe’s battered car industry faces challenges including U.S. import tariffs, competition from China and difficulties in meeting profitably domestic regulations for EV adoption.
ACEA CEO Ola Kaellenius co-signed a letter on Wednesday to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying that EU targets to cut CO2 emissions from vehicles, including a 100 per cent reduction for cars by 2035, are no longer feasible.
By the numbers
Sales in the European Union, Britain and the European Free Trade Association rose to 1.09 million cars in July, ACEA data showed.
Registrations at Volkswagen and Renault rose 11.6 per cent and 8.8 per cent year-on-year, respectively, but fell 1.1 per cent at Stellantis.
Tesla’s sales dropped 40.2 per cent , squeezing its market share to 0.8 per cent from 1.4 per cent a year ago. BYD’s sales jumped 225.3 per cent to give it 1.2 per cent of the market.
Total EU car sales rose 7.4 per cent . Registrations of battery electric, hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid cars were up 39.1 per cent , 56.9 per cent and 14.3 per cent , respectively, to account collectively for 59.8 per cent of the bloc’s registrations, up from 51.1 per cent in July 2024.
Overall sales in Germany rose 11.1 per cent , and fell 5 per cent in the UK, 7.7 per cent in France and 5.1 per cent in Italy. Spain, Poland and Austria recorded increases of 17.1 per cent , 16.5 per cent and 31.6 per cent , respectively.
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