Alternative-fuel cars sales "highly unbalanced" in Europe

Brussels – Sales of alternatively powered vehicles are following “a highly uneven pattern” across EU member states, according to new findings from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).

In a report published 29 Oct, ACEA noted that the consumer uptake of battery electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid electric passenger cars, as well as those fuelled by natural gas or hydrogen, differred strongly from country to country. 

For instance, the number of battery electric cars and plug-in hybrids (electrically-chargeable vehicles, or ECVs) sold last year ranged from just 93 cars in Latvia (0.6% market share) to 67,504 in Germany (2% market share), the ACEA’s data showed.

The report went on to add that the consumer uptake of electrically chargeable cars has been particularly low in central and eastern Europe, with Poland for instance posting only 0.2% of total passenger car sales. 

“An ECV market share of more than 1.5% is something that is exclusive to Western European countries,” the report added.
 

For electrically chargeable vehicles, the ACEA report highlighted not only an east-west divide, but also a marked north-south distinction. 

Electric cars represented less than 1% of total sales in Italy and Spain last year – the third and fourth largest EU economies respectively.

In only four EU countries electrically chargeable vehicles make up more than 2.5% of the car market.

“Although the average EU market share of alternatively-powered vehicles is going up, the huge discrepancies across Europe are extremely worrisome,” stated ACEA director general, Eric-Mark Huitema. 

In order to meet the “extremely ambitious” 2025 and 2030 CO2 targets set by the EU, the report warned that sales of all types of alternatively powered vehicles will have to pick up rapidly in all member states.

“Mobility must remain affordable for all layers of society. That is why we are calling on governments to put in place more meaningful and sustainable incentive schemes to stimulate sales EU-wide,” Huitema added.