EU new car registrations down 3% in May

Brussels – New EU car registrations fell by 3% year-on-year in May, with declines observed in three out of the region’s four major markets.

Overall, 911,697 units were registered during the month, reflecting a 6.6% decline in demand in Italy, 4.3% decline in Germany and 2.9% decrease in France, ACEA* data revealed 20 June.

Spain, another major European market, achieved a modest growth of 3.4% year-on-year, said the European automotive association.

Despite the downturn in May, year-to-date car registrations over the first five months of 2024 increased by 4.6% to 4.6 million units.

The bloc’s largest markets all showed growth, with Spain (6.8%) leading the table, followed by Germany (5.2%), France (4.9%), and Italy (3.4%).

In terms of power source, battery-electric cars accounted for 12.5% of the market, down from 13.8% in May last year.

Meanwhile, hybrid-electrics continued to expand their presence, growing from 25% to nearly 30% of the market.

The combined share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 48.5%, down from 52.1%, now representing less than half of the market.

*ACEA: European Automobile Manufacturers' Association