The race to decarbonize road transport continues to gather momentum, especially with the growth of electric vehicles in the European Union (EU). The transition to more sustainable and emission-free mobility is in full swing, with the increasing adoption of clean technologies in the automotive sector.

According to the latest ACEA report, in 2023, the EU automotive market experienced strong growth of 13.9% compared to 2022, reaching a volume of 10.5 million units.

Most EU markets experienced strong growth, including the four largest: Italy (+18.9%), Spain (+16.7%), France (+16.1%) and Germany (+7.3%). Despite the overall growth, a comparison with pre-pandemic volumes highlights the extent to which registrations have fallen, currently standing 19% below the pre-pandemic volume of 13 million units registered in 2019.

Source: ACEA

According to data provided by ACEA, an analysis of buyer preferences by energy source shows that battery electric cars have consolidated their position as the third most popular choice in the market.

In the month of December, they experienced a significant increase in market share, reaching an impressive 18.5%, contributing to an annual share of 14.6%. This achievement surpassed the stability of diesel, which remained at 13.6%. The sales volume of battery electric cars exceeded a remarkable 1.5 million units, registering a notorious 37% growth compared to 2022.

Meanwhile, gasoline cars continued to lead with a solid 35.3% market share, followed by hybrid-electric cars in second place, with a 25.8% share.

Source: ACEA