Gasoline and diesel car sales decline in Europe

This content was published on Jul 20 2022 – 06:00
July 20 2022 – 06:00

(AFP)

Sales of new gasoline or diesel cars fell in the second quarter in Europe, while hybrids and electric cars continued to occupy the market, according to data released by manufacturers on Wednesday.

In a market hit by a shortage of electronic components, gasoline car sales fell 22.2% year-on-year to 909,000, and accounted for 38.5% of the EU market in the second quarter.

Diesel models fell 27.7%, with 409,000 cars sold, and represented just 17.3% of sales, down from 20.2% in the same period in 2021.

Hybrid cars, fueled by bonuses and promoted by manufacturers, although delayed due to shortages and economic background, saw a slight decrease in sales in the EU (-2.2%).

However, the market share of hybrid cars has continued to rise, currently accounting for 22.6% of sales.

Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids have been on a downward trend since the end of 2021 (-12.5%), with marked declines in France and Germany, while their actual CO2 emissions are highly questionable. It currently accounts for 8.7% of sales, with 206,000 vehicles sold.

The 100% electric vehicle category is the only category to advance (11%), with 243,000 units sold, although its conquest of the market was delayed due to supply problems. It represented 9.9% of sales in the second quarter.

This limited performance can be explained by the supply difficulties of one of its European market leaders, Volkswagen, associated with the production of certain components in Ukraine due to the war.

The German group’s electric vehicle sales fell 16.5% in the second half of Europe, after rising 33.6% in the first quarter.