Electric vehicle (EV) sales went into reverse in Europe during 2024, data from carmakers showed Tuesday, as cars with traditional internal combustion engines continue to dominate.
AFP reports a total of 1.99 million battery EVs left showrooms last year, a drop of 1.3 percent from 2023, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).
The figures represent a stall after several years of growth for electric vehicles in Europe and raise questions about the transition away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
“Battery-electric cars remained the third-most-popular choice for buyers in 2024,” the ACEA said in its monthly report on sales figures.
Cars with petrol engines dominate and accounted for one in three new cars sold last year, followed closely by simple hybrids with 30.9 percent market share.
Plug-in hybrids accounted for another 7.1 percent of sales.
Fully battery-electric vehicles accounted for 13.6 percent of total sales in 2024, a drop from 14.6 percent market share in 2023.
Sales of EVs, which are more expensive than ICE vehicles, are still highly dependent on government incentives to entice wary buyers.
EV sales plunged by 27.4 percent in Germany last year as government incentives ended at the end of 2023.
