In September, the European market responded to the chip shortage issue by declining in numbers. New car registrations fell to 964,800, which is a 25% decrease from last year’s 1,290,000.
Even so, looking at it year-to-date, the European market continues to outperform in comparison to 2020. Towards the end of the first half of the year, there was a 27% surge in total registrations compared to H1 2020.
This year, the industry has responded well to the the pandemic, but it is now facing new supply chain challenges. The growing popularity of EVs is encouraging, but sales are not yet strong enough to offset the big declines seen across other segments.”
– Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics (Source)
The growth continues
- Low-emission vehicle registrations increased by 44% to 221,500 units in September
- Diesel registrations fell by 51 percent to 167,000 units.
- There were 10.3 new diesel cars registered for every electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle prior to the outbreak. That ratio has now dropped to only 1.3.
“Shifts of this magnitude are rare, and a number of factors have contributed to the current state of play. In addition to incentives, OEMs have enhanced their offering with more models and better deals, and many are shifting their limited supply of semiconductors to the production of EVs, instead of ICE vehicles.”
The Tesla Model 3 led the European model rankings in September, with 24,600 registered units – a 2.6% market share – thanks to the EV surge. This is the first time an electric car has dominated the market, as well as the first time a vehicle from outside of Europe has taken the top rank.
The Model 3’s remarkable result can be attributed in part to Tesla’s aggressive end-of-quarter sales drive. September has traditionally been a good month for the American automaker’s registration statistics in Europe, contributing to an average of 68 percent of third-quarter deliveries since 2018.
Tesla now has a 24% market share, ahead of the Volkswagen Group with 22%, Stellantis with 13%, and Hyundai-Kia with roughly 11%, thanks to the success of these two models. Tesla also registered more new vehicles than well-known companies such as Fiat, Nissan, and Seat. Elon Musk’s baby continues to show great results amidst the global issues it is facing.
