Nearly one in five vehicles sold in the European Union in the third quarter was an electrified model, as sales continued to grow while fossil-fuel cars declined, according to sales data released Friday by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
ACEA, which represents Europe’s leading car, truck, van, and bus manufacturers, said sales of battery-electric and plug-in hybrids in the European Union accounted for just under 19% of total sales.
Sales of battery electric vehicles increased by almost 57% to more than 212,000 units, while plug-in hybrid models increased by almost 43% to more than 197,000 units.
This is a slower pace of growth than in 2020 when sales nearly tripled from a low base.
But it compares with a 35% drop in sales for gasoline cars – which account for nearly 40% of total sales – and a drop of more than 50% for diesel cars in the quarter.
Less than a decade ago, diesel cars accounted for more than 50% of sales in the EU but accounted for less than 18% of all cars sold in the third quarter.
As well as having to meet strict new EU carbon emission targets, carmakers and consumers have benefited from government subsidies for electric vehicles.
The European Commission has also proposed a ban on the sale of fossil-fuel vehicles from 2035, aiming to accelerate the shift to zero-emission electric vehicles as part of a broad package of measures to combat global warming.
Edited for English