Electrified Vehicles Claim 3% of European Market

The European Automobile Manufacturers Assn. reports sales of “electrically chargeable vehicles” – battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen-fuel-cell electric vehicles – grew 45% in 2019 to a record 558,586 units.

In its fourth-quarter 2019 market report, the Brussels-based association notes electrified vehicles accounted for 3% of new light-vehicle demand in Europe last year. Germany led the market with sales of 108,839 units, a 61% increase over 2018.

Following Germany were Norway with 79,640 sales, the U.K. (72,834), the Netherlands (66,957) and France (61,356).

Battery-electrics and FCEVs together accounted for about two-thirds of electrified-vehicle sales in the region, jumping 80% to 359,733 units.

For BEVs, Germany saw 63,491 deliveries; the Netherlands, 62,956; and Norway, 60,345.

PHEV sales grew 7% to 198,853 units in 2019. Leading markets were Germany at 45,348, the U.K. at 34,984 and Sweden at 24,810.

The best-selling electrified models in Europe last year were the Tesla Model 3 BEV, Renault Zoe BEV, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Nissan Leaf BEV and BMW i3 PHEV.

Separately, hybrid sales, including both full and mild hybrids, rose 49.5% to 937,400 units. More than 100,000 units were sold in five countries: Germany (193,902), the U.K. (156,178), Ireland (109,789), Spain (108,684) and France (106,844).

Toyota, again the market leader, registered sales of 418,000 units (combined Toyota and Lexus brands), commanding 44.5% of the demand in the segment.

The automaker’s top-selling hybrid was the CH-R Hybrid, produced at Toyota Motor Mfg.  Turkey, while the third-ranked Yaris Hybrid is built at Toyota Motor Mfg. France. Sales of the two models totaled 115,200 and 108,300 units, respectively.

Sales of alternatively powered vehicles other than electric – compressed natural gas, liquid petroleum gas and ethanol (E-85 mix) – grew 12% to 257,281 units.

Meanwhile, Europe’s share of gasoline cars rose marginally to 58.9% on sales of 9.2 million units, while diesel car sales fell to 4.8 million units or 30.5% of the market. Hybrids, including mild hybrids, had a 5.9% share; CNG, LPG and ethanol, 1.7%; and electrified vehicles, 3.0%.