Passenger car registration numbers in the European Union witnessed a decline in January, dropping by 2.6% compared to the previous year. The total number of registrations reached 831,201 units. Despite this overall dip, the market saw a significant shift towards hybrid and electric vehicles. Registrations for hybrid-electric vehicles surged by 18.4%, making up approximately 34.9% of the total EU car market. Meanwhile, battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales soared by 34%, accounting for 15% of the market share.
In contrast, petrol car registrations experienced a downturn, comprising 29.4% of the total market with 244,763 units registered in January. This marks a significant change in consumer preferences, as more buyers lean towards eco-friendly alternatives. The declining trend was particularly noticeable in Italy and Spain, where petrol car registrations dropped by 17% and 11.1%, respectively.
Germany led the charge in boosting the EU's hybrid and electric vehicle numbers, with its car registrations growing by an impressive 53.5% in January. Belgium and the Netherlands also contributed to the surge, with increases of 37.2% and 28.3%, respectively. These figures underscore a growing trend towards sustainable mobility solutions across the continent.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, however, did not share the same upward trajectory as their fully electric counterparts. Registrations fell by 8.5%, totaling 61,406 units in January. This decline suggests a potential shift in consumer interest towards fully electric options over hybrids that still rely partially on fossil fuels.
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