2018 (Q1) Europe: Electric and Hybrid Car Sales per EU and EFTA Country

Germany, Norway and Britain were the leading markets for electrically chargeable passenger vehicle registrations in the European Union and EFTA during the first quarter of 2018.

The market for electrically chargeable vehicles expanded by 47% in the European Union during the first three months of 2018. Sales of battery electric cars were up in the European Union by more than a third while the sale of plug-in hybrids increased by 60%. Germany finally took the lead in electric car sales but although Germany was the largest market for electrically chargeable cars in Europe at the start of 2018, the market share of electric cars in Norway is much bigger.

The European Electric Car Market in 2018 (Q1)

The market for electrically chargeable vehicles in the European Union (EU) and EFTA increased by 41% during the first quarter of 2018 to 88,329 cars. In the EU alone, the increase was an even stronger 47% to 69,898 cars.

During the first quarter of 2018, new passenger vehicle registrations in the EU and EFTA grew by 0.6% to 4,282,134 cars. This included:

Note:

• Terminology used in these ACEA statistics: Electrically chargeable vehicle (ECV) = battery electric vehicles (BEV) + extended-range electric vehicles (EREV) + fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) + plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).
• Excludes some smaller markets where suitable data is not available.

Electric Car Sales per European Union and EFTA Country in 2018 (Q1)

New passenger vehicle registrations of electrically chargeable vehicles (ECV) in European Union and EFTA countries during the first three months of 2018 were as follows according to the ACEA:

Battery Electric Vehicle Sales in Europe in 2018 (Q1)

Registrations of battery electric vehicles (BEV) in various European Union and EFTA member countries during the period January to March 2018 were as follows according to ACEA statistics:

Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Sales in Europe in 2018 (Q1)

Registrations of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) in various European Union and EFTA member countries during first quarter of 2018 were as follows according to ACEA statistics:

Electric Car Sales in Europe During the First Quarter of 2018

The market for electrically chargeable vehicles in Europe grew by 41% during the first quarter of 2018. Although there was spectacular growth in some smaller markets, the bulk of volume was added in Germany and Norway. Germany moved ahead of both Britain and Norway with the UK market falling back from first in 2017 to third during the first quarter of 2018.

France and Sweden were again the fourth and fifth largest markets for electrically chargeable vehicles in Europe during the first three months of 2018. The Netherlands moved ahead of Belgium and Austria overtook Switzerland by only three cars. Spain moved into the top ten at the expense of Italy. Spectacular growth in Denmark is largely due to 2017 figures being extraordinary low following a change in tax regime.

Norway took the lead in terms of sales of battery electric vehicles with sales up by 39% followed by Germany where sales increased by 80%. However, where just more than a quarter of all car sales in Norway were electric vehicles, the market share in Germany was around 1%. The leader during the first quarter of 2017, France, slipped to third with volume sales down by 1%. Very strong sales in the Netherlands saw the Dutch market ahead of Britain where sales of electric battery vehicles were down by 16%.

At the start of 2018, Britain remained the leading European market for plug-in hybrid vehicles but in Germany sales were up by 60% to move ahead of Norway where sales of plug-in hybrids were flat.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles Sales in Europe in 2018 (Q1)

Registrations of new hybrid electric vehicles (full and mild hybrids) were as follows in various European Union and EFTA countries during first quarter of 2018 according to the ACEA:

During the first quarter of 2018, Britain remained the largest European new car market for passenger hybrid vehicles closely followed by France and Italy. Sales of hybrid cars in Germany increased by two thirds to move Germany ahead of Spain were hybrid car sales were up by a third. Norway was the only major market with weaker hybrid sales – down by a third.

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)