New car registrations in the European Union increased slightly last year. In 2024, a good 10.6 million vehicles were sold in the EU, 0.8 percent more than in the previous year, as the European industry association Acea announced on Tuesday in Brussels. In December, new registrations even increased by 5.1 percent to a good 910,000 units.
Sales of electric cars on the EU new car market fell significantly last year. Their share of new registrations fell from 14.6 percent in 2023 to 13.6 percent now. The drop in electric cars was particularly severe, falling by 27 percent Germany. There was a decline in this category in 15 out of 27 EU countries, including in the second largest market (France, minus 3 percent). Nevertheless, the development in Germany was by far the most significant and decisive for the declining market share.
Overall, battery-electric cars will again take third place in terms of market share in 2024. Since demand for diesel vehicles fell to 11.9 percent, they were also able to increase the gap to fourth place. Petrol engines once again took first place with a market share of around a third. Hybrid electric cars were just behind.
Decline in Germany
Overall, almost all major car markets in the EU recorded declines in 2024, although the extent of declines remained manageable except for France (-3.2 percent). Spain, on the other hand, recorded an increase in new registrations of 7.1 percent. In Germany, sales fell by 1 percent.
The Volkswagen-Group maintained its first place in the EU last year with an increase of 3.2 percent to a good 2.8 million vehicles sold. Despite a decline of 7.2 percent, Stellantis (Peugeot, Fiat, Opel) with a good 1.7 million cars. The Renault-Group was in third place, as in the previous year, with an increase of 1.9 percent to almost 1.2 million cars. BMW had to accept a decline of 0.6 percent; at Mercedes-Benz the decline was even 2.6 percent.