Increase in New Car Registrations in the EU, Hybrids Leading

Registrations of new cars in the EU show growth, hybrids remain at the top

Brussels – Registrations of new cars in the European Union increased by 10% in September year-on-year, marking the third consecutive month of recovery after the decline recorded in June. The data, published today by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) and cited by Agence France-Presse, highlight the ongoing change in the automotive sector.

In the EU countries, numbering 27, around 888,700 new cars were registered in September. This growth of 10% compared to the same month last year reflects a gradual recovery of the market. For the first nine months of the year, the total number of new cars sold exceeded 8.057 million, which represents an increase of 0.9% compared to the same period of the previous year.

It is expected that current trends will continue to shape the future of the automotive industry in Europe.

Hybrid cars continue to be the leading choice of European consumers. During the period from January to September, they accounted for 34.7% of total sales.

Nearly 2.8 million sales of new hybrid cars have been reported, representing an increase of 16.4% compared to the same period of the previous year. Of these, nearly 723,000 are plug-in hybrids, marking a significant increase of 31.1%. Plug-in hybrids already account for 9% of total registrations in the EU, up from 6.9% a year earlier. These cars combine a gasoline engine with a small-capacity battery that can be charged from an external source.

The share of electric cars is also increasing. They account for 16.1% of sales for the period under review, compared to 13.1% at the end of September of the previous year. However, the European Association notes that this percentage has not yet reached the level required for an effective transition.

In response to these changes, ACEA again called for a "pragmatic recalibration" of European regulations. These regulations provide for a ban on the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines and hybrid cars after 2035. This is a topic of heated debate in the sector and in political circles.

The view of the individual markets is interesting. Three of the four main national markets in the EU show an increase in the registrations of fully electric vehicles during the first nine months. Germany reports an increase of 38.3%, Belgium - 12.4%, and the Netherlands - 3.9%. In France, however, there is a decrease of -0.2%, although in September a recovery with an increase of 11.2% was registered. Total sales of electric vehicles reached 1.3 million in the nine months to September 30, which is 24% more than in the same period last year.

At the same time, the share of cars with gasoline or diesel engines continues to decrease, reaching 37% at the end of September, compared to 46.8% a year earlier. This testifies to a lasting change in consumer preferences and a strengthening of the trend towards electrification.

In Bulgaria, 3,818 cars were registered in September, which represents an increase of 51.6% compared to 2,519 in the same month of the previous year. During the period from January to September, the share of gasoline cars is 83.1%, of diesel cars - 7.6%, of battery electric vehicles (BEV) - 4.6%, of hybrid electric - 3.3% and of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles - 1.2%.

The big players in the automotive sector are also presenting their results. Volkswagen Group, the leading manufacturer in Europe, sold 241,368 cars in September, which is an increase of 11.1% year-on-year. For the first nine months, 2.214 million vehicles were sold, reporting a growth of 4.8% and a market share of 27.5% (compared to 26.5% a year earlier). Stellantis, ranking second, increased its sales by 10.5% in September to 133,305 cars, thanks to the Citroën and Fiat brands. However, its sales decreased by 7.2% for the nine months as a whole (to 1.276 million cars), representing a market share of 15.8% (compared to 17.2% a year earlier).

Renault Group recorded an increase in its sales of 14.4% in September compared to last year, with the Dacia brand registering growth of 27.6%. For the nine months, the growth is 6.6% (6.9% for Renault), reaching about 915,000 new cars. Their market share is 11.4% compared to 10.7% at the end of September of the previous year.

Tesla continues to record a decline (-18.6% for September and -38.7% for the nine months), with about 111,000 vehicles sold.