Europeans Bought More Electrified Vehicles Than Diesels In September — For The First Time In History

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In Europe, people bought more electrified vehicles — electric vehicles and hybrids — than diesel vehicles in September, according to JATO Dynamics. This is a first. The pandemic has already left jagged scars on the automotive industry as well as other industries across the globe.

JATO noted that new car sales dropped by 29% during the first 9 months of 2020 in Europe. The largest hit, however, was taken by vehicles with diesel, which made up 24.8% of market share last month. If you compare the market share data for diesel in 2020 versus 2010, vehicles with diesel made up 50% of the total registrations back then, twice as much.

Data from JATO Dynamics showed that:

• Volkswagen Group was the biggest winner of the month, partly because of its new EVs.
• The Volkswagen ID.3 has had an impressive start.
• The Tesla Model 3 is the top selling electric vehicle, with more than 3 times as many sales as the top selling plug-in hybrid in September but barely more sales than the top selling mild hybrid.

JATO Dynamics noted that this is a clear sign that Europe is ready for an electric revolution — one that has already started. Felipe Muniz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics, pointed out that the shift from internal combustion engine vehicles to EVs is happening. “The shift from ICEs to EVs is finally taking place. Although this is largely down to government policies and incentives, consumers are also now ready to adopt these new technologies,” he said.

According to the JATO Dynamics data, only 3 of the top 10 electrified vehicles in September were fully electric, and there were no plug-in hybrids in the top 10. The Tesla Model 3, as noted above, was #1, the Renault Zoe was #5, and the Volkswagen ID.3 was #9.

Demand for gas and diesel cars showed double-digit drops compared to September 2019. On the flip side, volumes of electrified vehicles have increased by 139%, to 327,800 units. This is a record in terms of both volume and market share, and the first time that electrified vehicles have broken the 300,000 unit monthly mark. This is the second time that electrified vehicles have accounted for over 20% of new vehicle registrations in Europe.

This changing landscape is also favoring some OEMs more than others — specifically those that sell well designed EVs. One example cited in the report was Volkswagen. Volkswagen was able to overcome its dieselgate scale of 2015 to become a big new player in electric vehicle game. In September, Volkswagen had 40,300 electrified vehicle registrations in Europe and became the second-largest electrified vehicle seller in Europe. Toyota was the first due to its “continued dominance from within the hybrid segment.”

“Like with its SUVs, Volkswagen Group arrived late to the EV boom, but its competitive products are catching up quickly, and it is now becoming a leader,” Munoz said.