Click for more ACEA data.
EU new car registrations increased ~21% in August with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) passing 20% share for the first time in history, according to the ACEA* trade group. During August 2023, there were 787,626 registered units, marking the thirteenth consecutive month of growth.
“Despite August typically being a slower month for car sales, double-digit gains indicate that the EU market is rebounding from last year’s component shortages. There were double-digit percentage gains in most markets, including the three largest: Germany (+37.3%), France (+24.3%), and Italy (+11.9%), ACEA said.
From January to August 2023, new EU car registrations grew substantially (+17.9%), totaling 7.1 million units. However, even with this year-to-date improvement, the market trails the pre-COVID pandemic level of 9 million units sold in 2019. Most markets experienced double-digit percentage gains in this eight-month period, including the four largest: Spain (+20.5%), Italy (+20.2%), France (+16.6%), and Germany (+16.5%).
Click for more ACEA data.
Registrations by Type
In August, the market share of battery-electric cars exceeded 20% for the first time (up from 11.6% in August last year), overtaking diesel for the second time this year and becoming the third-most-popular choice for new car buyers. Hybrid-electric cars held position as buyers’ second choice, with a 24% market share. While petrol cars are still the most popular choice, market share decreased from 38.7% in August 2022 to 32.7%.
Electric cars: In August 2023, EU battery-electric car registrations increase by 118.1%, reaching 165,165 units, accounting for 21% of the market. Except for Malta (-22.6%), all EU markets saw double- and triple-digit percentage growth, with Germany, the largest market by volume, growing by 170.7%. Belgium recorded the highest growth rate of 224.5%. Overall, battery-electric car sales increased by a significant 62.7%, with nearly 1 million units registered from January to August.
Hybrid-electric car: Registrations expanded by 29%, primarily driven by growth in three of its four largest markets: Germany (+59%), France (+38.7%), and Spain (+21.5%), while Italy recorded a slight decline (-2.3%). This resulted in a cumulative 28.6% increase, with nearly 1.8 million units sold between January and August, equivalent to a quarter of the market.
Plug-in hybrid car: Registrations grew by 5.5%, totaling 58,557 units. Major markets such as the Netherlands (+44.7%), France (+40.5%), and Sweden (+24.9%) helped offset a decline in Germany (-41.1%), the largest market for this power source. Despite this growth, the market share of plug-in hybrid cars decreased from 8.5% to 7.4% in August this year.
Petrol and diesel cars: During August, the EU petrol car market slightly increased by 2.1%, with its market share decreasing from 38.7% to 32.7% compared to August 2022. A strong performance in Italy (+25.3%) and France (+21.5%) primarily drove this growth, while most of the bloc’s markets declined.
Courtesy of and Copyright GlobalData consultancy.
Conversely, the EU’s diesel car market continued its decline in August (-6%), despite growth in Germany (+9.2%) and Central and Eastern European markets, notably Slovakia (+22.6%) and Romania (+19.4%). Diesel cars now have a market share of 12.5%, down from 16.1% in August of the previous year.
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*ACEA: The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) represents the 14 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus makers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ferrari, Ford of Europe, Honda Motor Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, Iveco Group, JLR, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Group, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, and Volvo Group.
About the EU automobile industry
- 13.0 million Europeans work in the automotive sector
- 11.5% of all manufacturing jobs in the EU
- €374.6 billion in tax revenue for European governments
- €101.9 billion trade surplus for the European Union
- Over 7% of EU GDP generated by the auto industry
- €59.1 billion in R&D spending annually, 31% of EU total
EU August Sales – BEVs Soar to 20% Market Share
Click for more ACEA data.
EU new car registrations increased ~21% in August with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) passing 20% share for the first time in history, according to the ACEA* trade group. During August 2023, there were 787,626 registered units, marking the thirteenth consecutive month of growth.
“Despite August typically being a slower month for car sales, double-digit gains indicate that the EU market is rebounding from last year’s component shortages. There were double-digit percentage gains in most markets, including the three largest: Germany (+37.3%), France (+24.3%), and Italy (+11.9%), ACEA said.
From January to August 2023, new EU car registrations grew substantially (+17.9%), totaling 7.1 million units. However, even with this year-to-date improvement, the market trails the pre-COVID pandemic level of 9 million units sold in 2019. Most markets experienced double-digit percentage gains in this eight-month period, including the four largest: Spain (+20.5%), Italy (+20.2%), France (+16.6%), and Germany (+16.5%).
Click for more ACEA data.
Registrations by Type
In August, the market share of battery-electric cars exceeded 20% for the first time (up from 11.6% in August last year), overtaking diesel for the second time this year and becoming the third-most-popular choice for new car buyers. Hybrid-electric cars held position as buyers’ second choice, with a 24% market share. While petrol cars are still the most popular choice, market share decreased from 38.7% in August 2022 to 32.7%.
Electric cars: In August 2023, EU battery-electric car registrations increase by 118.1%, reaching 165,165 units, accounting for 21% of the market. Except for Malta (-22.6%), all EU markets saw double- and triple-digit percentage growth, with Germany, the largest market by volume, growing by 170.7%. Belgium recorded the highest growth rate of 224.5%. Overall, battery-electric car sales increased by a significant 62.7%, with nearly 1 million units registered from January to August.
Hybrid-electric car: Registrations expanded by 29%, primarily driven by growth in three of its four largest markets: Germany (+59%), France (+38.7%), and Spain (+21.5%), while Italy recorded a slight decline (-2.3%). This resulted in a cumulative 28.6% increase, with nearly 1.8 million units sold between January and August, equivalent to a quarter of the market.
Plug-in hybrid car: Registrations grew by 5.5%, totaling 58,557 units. Major markets such as the Netherlands (+44.7%), France (+40.5%), and Sweden (+24.9%) helped offset a decline in Germany (-41.1%), the largest market for this power source. Despite this growth, the market share of plug-in hybrid cars decreased from 8.5% to 7.4% in August this year.
Petrol and diesel cars: During August, the EU petrol car market slightly increased by 2.1%, with its market share decreasing from 38.7% to 32.7% compared to August 2022. A strong performance in Italy (+25.3%) and France (+21.5%) primarily drove this growth, while most of the bloc’s markets declined.
Courtesy of and Copyright GlobalData consultancy.
Conversely, the EU’s diesel car market continued its decline in August (-6%), despite growth in Germany (+9.2%) and Central and Eastern European markets, notably Slovakia (+22.6%) and Romania (+19.4%). Diesel cars now have a market share of 12.5%, down from 16.1% in August of the previous year.
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*ACEA: The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) represents the 14 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus makers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ferrari, Ford of Europe, Honda Motor Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, Iveco Group, JLR, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Group, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, and Volvo Group.
About the EU automobile industry