In December 2023, the European Union (EU) car market experienced a 3.3% decline, recording 867,052 units in sales, marking the first contraction in 16 months after a sustained period of growth. Notable increases were observed in top markets such as France (+14.5%) and Spain (+10.6%), while the German car market saw a significant decline of 23% in December.
However, for the full year of 2023, the EU car market concluded with a solid 13.9% expansion compared to 2022, reaching a volume of 10.5 million units. All EU markets grew in the past year, except for Hungary (-3.4%). Italy (+18.9%), Spain (+16.7%), and France (+16.1%) recorded double-digit gains, while Germany saw a more modest 7.3% year-on-year increase.
New EU Car Registrations by Power Source
Battery-electric cars became the third-most-popular choice for buyers in 2023, with a market share of 18.5% in December and a full-year share of 14.6%, surpassing diesel (13.6%). Petrol cars retained the lead at 35.3%, while hybrid-electric cars claimed the second spot with a 25.8% market share.
Electric Cars
In December 2023, new battery-electric car sales declined by 16.9% to 160,700 units, attributed to a robust performance in December 2022 and a downturn in Germany (-47.6%). However, the overall volume for the full year surpassed 1.5 million units, reflecting a substantial 37% increase compared to 2022. The battery-electric car market share reached 14.6% in 2023.
Hybrid-Electric Cars
In December, new EU registrations of hybrid-electric cars surged by 26%, contributing to a cumulative 29.5% increase in 2023, with over 2.7 million units sold, representing a quarter of the EU market share.
Plug-In Hybrid Electric Cars
Sales of plug-in hybrid electric cars declined by 40.2% to 71,546 units in December 2023. Despite increases in key markets, the EU plug-in hybrid electric car market decreased by 7% compared to 2022, representing a 7.7% market share.
Petrol and Diesel Cars
In December 2023, the EU petrol car market grew by 5.1%, reaching a total of 3.7 million units sold, a 10.6% increase compared to the previous year. The EU diesel car market contracted by 9.1% in December, with sales reaching 1.4 million units for the full year, accounting for a market share of 13.6%.
