Electric car sales set a new record in 2022, increasing 28% compared to 2021, with more than 1.1 million vehicles sold, according to data released this Wednesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA)
Despite record market share in the European Union in 2022, sales trends have slowed slightly.
Battery-powered cars accounted for 12.1% of new car sales over the year, up from 9.1% in 2021 and 1.9% in 2019.
Non-rechargeable hybrids (diesel or gasoline) also continue to take over the market (+8.6%) and already account for 22.6% of sales, with 2,089,653 cars sold.
Sales of plug-in hybrids, cars equipped with a combustion engine and a small electric motor rechargeable at a socket or terminal, also rose, with 874,182 cars sold (+1.2%).
In total, electrified cars (hybrids and 100% electrics) have overtaken gasoline car sales since the end of 2021: they accounted for 36.4% of sales in the year 2022 (-12.8%), with about 3.3 million cars sold).
ACEA on Tuesday estimated that car sales in the European Union will grow 5% year-on-year in 2023 to 9.8 million, but still below pre-covid-19 pandemic figures.
"Despite the many uncertainties ahead, the market should begin to recover in 2023," ACEA Director General Sigrid de Vries said at a press conference quoted by Agence France-Presse (AFP), noting that in 2022 sales were 9.3 million units -- down 10.4 percent from 2021 and the lowest figure in 30 years.
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