Germany, Europe’s single largest auto market, saw plugin electric vehicles take 21.5% share of sales in February 2023, a drop from 24.9% year on year. Full electric share grew, but plugin hybrid share almost halved. Overall auto volume was 206,210 units, up by some 3% YoY, but still some 18% down from pre-2020 seasonal norms. The Tesla Model Y was the month’s bestselling plugin, and second overall auto (behind the VW Golf).

The UK saw plugin electric vehicles take 22.9% share of the auto market in February 2023, down from 25.6% year on year. Overall auto volume was 74,441 units, up some 26% YoY, though still down from the ~81.000 unit seasonal norm, pre-2020. The Tesla Model Y was the UK’s best selling full electric vehicle for the month. February’s 22.9% combined plugin result comprised 16.5% full battery electrics (BEVs), and 6.3% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). This compares to respective shares of 25.6%, 17.7%, and 7.9% a year ago.

France’s plugin electric vehicle share reached 23.8% in February, up from 20.1% year on year. Full electrics grew share, whilst plugin hybrids remained static. Overall auto volume was 126,237 units, up over 9% YoY. The Dacia Spring was once again the best selling full electric. February’s combined plugin result of 23.8% comprised 15.5% full electrics (BEVs), and 8.3% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). These respective shares compare with 20.1%, 11.7%, and 8.4%, year on year. All the growth in share has come from BEVs.

February saw Norway’s plugin electric vehicle share continue to grow to 90.1%, from 86.1% year on year. All the growth came from full electrics, whilst plugin hybrids lost share. Overall auto volume was 7,439 units, down some 9% YoY. The bestselling vehicle was the Tesla Model Y. February’s 90.1% overall plugin share comprised 83.1% full electrics (BEVs), and 7.0% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). These shares compare with 86.1%, 75.6%, and 10.5%, YoY.

In February, Sweden’s plugin electric vehicles continued to dominate with a 54.0% share of auto sales, up from 51.6% year on year. Full electric share grew substantially, whilst plugin hybrid share decreased. Overall auto volume was 18,442 units, down some 13% YoY. The Volvo XC40 was February’s best selling BEV yet again, holding the lead for the 5th consecutive month. February’s overall plugin result of 54.0% comprised 33.2% full electrics (BEVs), and 20.8% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). These compare with respective shares of 51.6%, 25.6%, and 26.0%, YoY.

Germany saw plugin electric vehicle (EV) share at a low ebb in January, just 15.1%, from 21.6% year on year. The one-off low result comes in the shadow of record plugin share in December, ahead of reduced incentives from January 1st; the imbalance will normalise in the coming months. Overall auto volumes were 179,225 units, just 2% lower than January 2022, though still well down from pre-Covid seasonal norms. The best selling BEV was the Tesla Model Y.

The UK auto market saw plugin electric vehicles (EVs) take 20.0% share of new sales in January, flat from 20.4% year on year. Full electrics grew slightly whilst plugin hybrids shrank. Overall auto volume was 131,994 units, up some 15% YoY, but still 21% below pre-2020 seasonal norms. Volkswagen was the UK’s best selling BEV brand in January. January’s combined plugin share of 20.0% comprised 13.1% full battery electrics (BEVs), and 6.9% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). These compare with respective shares of 20.4%, 12.5%, and 7.9% YoY.

France’s auto market saw plugin electric vehicles (EVs) take 22.3% share of new sales in January, up from 17.6% year on year. Full electrics saw stronger growth than plugin hybrids. Overall auto volumes were 111,939 units, some 9% higher YoY, but still well below pre-2020 seasonal norms. January’s best selling full electric was the Dacia Spring. January’s 22.3% combined plugin share comprised 13.1% full electrics (BEVs), and 9.2% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). These compare with respective shares of 17.6%, 9.9%, and 7.7%, a year ago.

Norway saw plugin electric vehicles take 76.3% share of the auto market in January, down from 90.5% year on year. The January auto market was highly anomalous due to the new year’s introduction of tighter auto emissions and tax increases, which had pulled sales forward into December. Overall January auto volumes were just 1,860 units, under 5% of December’s volume, and the lowest monthly volume in over 60 years! The auto market will resume more typical patterns in the months ahead. January’s bestseller was the Volkswagen ID.Buzz.

Sweden’s plugin electric vehicle share in January was 52.4%, flat from 52.9% year on year. The temporary pause in growth comes after a pull-forward in December. Overall auto volume in January was 35,476 units, some 27% down from January 2022. The best selling full electric was the Volvo XC40. January’s combined plugin share of 52.4% comprised 28.9% full electrics (BEVs), and 23.5% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). This compares to respective shares of 52.9%, 25.9%, and 27.0% a year ago; thus BEVs are still steadily replacing PHEVs in share.

The UK’s auto market saw plugin electric vehicles take 39.4% share of new sales in December, a new record, up from 33.2% year on year. Full electrics alone took almost a third of the market. Overall auto volumes were up 18% year on year in December, but still down compared to pre-2020 norms. The Tesla Model Y was the UK’s overall 3rd best selling vehicle in 2022, and the top seller in December.

December saw France’s plug-in electric vehicles grow to take 25.0% share of the auto market, up fractionally from 24.4% a year ago. Full electrics grew at a decent rate, but plugin hybrids fell. Overall auto volumes for the month were flat year on year, but full year 2022 volumes were down almost 8% on 2021. The Dacia Spring was December’s bestselling BEV. December’s overall plugin result of 25.0% comprised 15.8% full battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and 9.2% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). This is barely changed from their respective shares of 14.6%, and 9.8%, in December 2021.