While the automotive market has been slipping with sales since the start of the coronavirus crisis, the electric vehicle sector is booming. The electromobility association Avere recorded in May a 61% increase in the registrations of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles compared to the same period last year.
The electric car market is doing well. According to the latest figures published by the association Avere-France, 4,111 models were sold in France during the month of May. Admittedly, the overall figure remains low at 96,310 new vehicles, all energy combined (CCFA figures), about half the same period last year, but it still testifies to the growing boom of electric vehicles. Compared to May 2019, 4,111 battery electric passenger cars were registered, an increase of 50%. The same is true for plug-in hybrid vehicles with 3,056 registrations (+134%). A combined increase of 61% compared to last year.
The performance is all the more remarkable since the dealers remained closed for the first week of the month (until May 11, date of deconfinement) and the car recovery plan, implemented by the government (eco bonus raised at 7,000 euros, conversion bonus, etc.), has only been operational since June 1. If the sector is booming, it is therefore because the catalog has been enriched with many models in recent months. There have been no less than a dozen since the start of 2020, several of which arrived in showrooms at the end of confinement (Peugeot e-2008, Mini Cooper SE , Volkswagen e-up, Opel Corsa-e, etc).
This boom in electric vehicle sales can also be explained by the many commercial offers. Eco bonus doubled, advantageous discount on models in stock, long-term rental offer (LLD) at an attractive price: brands have put the package since the resumption of activity. Not to mention the many customers who were waiting for the delivery of their vehicle, purchased before the coronavirus health crisis.
Renault Zoe tops sales
In May, almost one in three electric cars sold in France was a Renault Zoe. It was also the best-selling car last month, despite a 12% drop in sales (1,165 units). The Peugeot e-208 and the Hyundai Kona Electric complete the podium. Sales of the latter rose 149% last month. Of the 4,111 electric vehicles sold in total, 61% of buyers are individual customers, according to Avere-France.
As for plug-in hybrids, the DS7 Crossback E-Tense SUV and the Peugeot 3008 are very close at the top with 313 and 297 new registrations respectively. The third step of the podium is completed by the Mercedes GLC, which has attracted no less than 263 customers. The rest of the classification is made up of the Ford Kuga (162), the Volco XC60 (158), the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid (156), the Mini Countryman (133), the BMW X3 (124), the BMW X5 (109) and Peugeot 508 (104), which tumbled to tenth place.
France has highest EV sales in Europe in 2020
In the European market, France is champion with 27,132 new electric vehicle registrations so far in 2020 (Jan-April), ahead of Germany (24,756) and the United Kingdom (18,153). Norway, the benchmark country, is only 4th (8,535).
The classification is completely different with plug-in hybrids, where first place is occupied by Germany with 26,243 registrations, followed by the United Kingdom (14,213), Sweden (12,744) and France ranks 4th with 9,915 registrations. These figures relate to the period between January and April 2020.
As for the situation of charging points, the cornerstone of the electrified vehicle market, the first three places are occupied respectively by the Netherlands (55,712), Germany (39,727) and France (29,578). Recall that the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, expressed the desire to see the erection of 100,000 recharging points by the end of 2021.
Electric car is good but it is expensive. Wish it would become more affordable.