2020 (Full Year): Petrol and diesel were the most popular fuel type in Europe (EU, UK, EFTA) but battery-electric car sales doubled and plug-in hybrids tripled.
In the full-year 2020, the registration of electrically chargeable passenger vehicles in the European Union (EU), UK and EFTA countries increased by 144% to 1,364,813 cars for a market share of 11%. Although hybrid and electrically-chargeable vehicle sales in the EU exceeded a million cars each for the first time ever, petrol and diesel remained by far the most popular fuel type for new cars sold in Europe in 2020.
European Car Market Statistics 2020: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Car Sales in Europe by Fuel Type in 2020 (Full Year)
The new car market in the EU, UK, and EFTA during 2020 was divided in the following fuel types:
| Fuel Type | 2020 | % 19/20 | % Share | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Total Market | 11,961,182 | -24.3 | 100 | 15,805,752 | 15,624,486 | 15,631,687 |
| Petrol | 5,749,502 | -37.6 | 48 | 9,182,788 | 8,752,773 | 7,786,268 |
| Diesel | 3,106,377 | -35.2 | 26 | 4,756,225 | 5,522,882 | 6,766,776 |
| Hybrid | 1,447,973 | 51.3 | 12.1 | 931,801 | 606,210 | 455,653 |
| Electric: | ||||||
| – ECV: | 1,364,813 | 143.8 | 11.4 | 564,225 | 384,052 | 289,072 |
| – – BEV | 745,684 | 107 | 6.2 | 365,372 | 201,284 | 135,775 |
| – – PHEV | 619,129 | 210 | 5.2 | 198,853 | 182,768 | 153,297 |
| Source: ACEA |
Note Terminology used in these ACEA statistics:
|
European New Car Market by Fuel Type in 2020 (Full Year)
New passenger vehicle registrations in Europe (EU, UK, EFTA) during full calendar year 2020 contracted by 24% to 11,961,182 cars — the smallest European new car market since 1993.
Although petrol with a market share of 48% and diesel with 26% remained by far the most popular fuel type for new cars sold in Europe in 2020, these energy types also experienced sales down by more than 35%. Hybrid car sales (excluding plug-in hybrids) increased by 51% to take a 12% market share.
Electrically-chargeable vehicle (ECV) sales in Europe in 2020 increased by 143% to take 11.4% market share compared to only 3.6% in 2019. Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales more than doubled to take a 6.2% market share compared to 2.3% in 2019. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) gained the most with sales more than tripling to take a 5.2% share of the market — up from 1.3%.
For the first time ever, in 2020 both electrically chargeable and hybrid vehicle sales in the European Union exceeded a million units in a single calendar year at 1,045,831 hybrids and 1,182,792 ECVs respectively.
European Car Sales Statistics for 2020 (Full Year)
- 2020 — Car Sales per EU, UK and EFTA Country (including market overview)
- 2020 — Europe: Best-Selling Car Manufacturers and Brands
- 2020 — Europe: Car Market by Fuel Type
- 2020 — Europe: Car Sales per Country for Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Cars
- 2019 Full Year: by Country, by Brands, by Model
Electric Car Sales in the European Union (EU) and EFTA Countries
Electric Car Sales per EU and EFTA Country:
- 2022: Q1
- 2021 (Full Year): By Country, Top Electric Brands and Models
- 2021: Q1, Half Year, Q3
- 2020 (Full Year): Market by Fuel Type, Sales by Country
- 2020: Q3, (Half Year), (Q1)
- 2019: (Full Year), (Q1)
- 2018: (Full Year), (Q3), (Half Year), (Q1)
- 2017: (Full Year)