In September, more electric cars were sold in Europe than diesel cars

In September 2023, new car registrations increased by 9.2%, reaching 861,062 units, marking the EU car market’s fourteenth consecutive month of growth. Two of the EU’s largest markets saw substantial gains; Italy (+22.7%) and France (+10.7%). Germany’s market was relatively steady, with a tiny 0.1% drop compared to September 2022.

In the first three quarters of 2023, the EU car market grew substantially (+16.9%), totalling eight million registered units. Despite the year-to-date increase, the market remains 20% below the pre-COVID pandemic level of 10 million units in 2019. Except for Hungary (-3.2%), all of the region’s markets recorded gains during these nine months, including the four largest: Italy (+20.5%), Spain (+18.5%), France (+15.9%), and Germany (+14.5%).

New EU car registrations by power source

In September, the battery-electric car market share reached 14.8%, marking an increase from 14.1% in September the previous year. This was the third time this year that battery-electric cars surpassed diesel, making them the third-most-popular choice for new car buyers. Hybrid-electric cars retained their position as the second most-preferred option, accounting for a significant 27.3% of the market. Although petrol cars are still buyers’ top choice, their market share fell from 35.3% in September 2022 to 34.1% this year.