EVs and PHEVs outsold diesels in Europe in August

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

For the first time ever, electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles outsold diesel-powered vehicles in Europe over a month.

August 2021 saw EVs and PHEVs take a 21 per cent market share compared to the 20 per cent of diesel-powered vehicles. Petrol still reigns supreme with 56 per cent, but it’s clear electrification isn’t just a passing fad.

It actually spotlights the death of the slow diesel as well, as August wasn’t the strongest month for EVs/PHEVs in Europe, and yet they still outsold the oil-burners.

Electric vehicles outsold diesels over in Europe for the first time last month.

Plug-in vehicles (hybrids and full-EVs) have grown a huge amount in just a year. Official European figures say that, from January to August 2021, BEVs and PHEVs sold a total of 1.32 million units, compared to just 158,300 units from the same period in 2020. That’s a huge uptick for only twelve months.

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The most popular fully electric vehicles are the Volkswagen ID.3, followed by the Tesla Model 3 and the VW ID.4.

Meanwhile, the most popular plug-in hybrids are the Ford Kuga, Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW 3 Series. The figures don’t specify models, but it looks like that means the GLC 300 e for Mercedes and a combined effort between the BMW 320e and 330e.

This increase in electrified sales is mirrored on a smaller scale in New Zealand too, largely thanks to the steady shipments of Tesla Model 3. For the year-to-date, there have been 3920 EVs and PHEVs registered in the country, compared to 1394 for the same period in 2020.

Obviously, some concessions have to be given for the January – August period in 2020 being hammered by lockdowns, but the growth is still there.

Expect it to continue to grow as the Clean Car Scheme begins punishing high emitters next April.

And mention Tesla, there have been persistent rumours of a large number of Model 3 deliveries about to happen in New Zealand, possibly as early as this week, with word of more than 1000 ready to roll out.

This isn’t an official line, and could just be over-enthusiastic fan speculation, but even if it’s half true, Tesla delivering 500 units in a week is still mighty impressive.

And if around 1000 Model 3s do drop in a month, then that could well make it the top-selling vehicle in New Zealand for that month, given the lingering effects of lockdown and the ongoing semiconductor shortage that saw sales of both the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux drop last month.