For the first time, sales of electric vehicles in Europe surpassed that of diesel vehicles

In December, more than a fifth of new car sales in 18 European markets came from electric vehicles, while diesel cars accounted for less than 19 percent of sales.

According to the Financial Times, last December, as consumers opted for subsidized zero-emission vehicles instead of diesel-dependent cars, European electric vehicle sales surpassed diesel for the first time.

Data compiled by Matthias Schmidt, an independent analyst in the auto industry, shows that more than a fifth of new car sales in 18 European markets, including the UK, come from electric vehicles, while diesel sales account for less than 19%.

Thanks to government subsidies from countries such as Germany and strict regulations introduced in 2020 that require EU automakers to sell low-emission vehicles, sales of electric vehicles are growing steadily. That trend accelerated in the fourth quarter of last year, when Tesla delivered a record 309,000 electric vehicles, proving itself well adapted to semiconductor supply chain bottlenecks.

European automakers also want to reduce the overall carbon footprint of their cars. During the supply chain crisis, European automakers were fined by the EU after prioritizing the production of the most profitable models, mainly polluting SUVs. To avoid fines, European automakers boosted sales of electric vehicles last December.

As a result, in December 2021, electric vehicle sales in Western Europe were 176,000 units, an all-time high of more than 6% year-on-year, compared with nearly 160,000 diesel vehicles.

ID.3 (Image source: Volkswagen)

Diesel car sales have been steadily declining since Volkswagen was found to be cheating in emissions tests for 11 million diesel engines. At that time, diesel vehicles accounted for more than half of the 18 European countries.

Schmidt said, "In September 2015, volkswagen's 'dieselgate' scandal was exposed, and within 30 days of the exposure, Volkswagen formulated plans for the launch of the first electric vehicle ID.3. "This is Volkswagen's flagship electric car, officially launched in 2020.

Last year, Volkswagen maintained its position as a major electric vehicle manufacturer in the Western European market. Last year, Volkswagen sold about 310,000 electric vehicles, while the number of electric vehicles registered in Western Europe reached 1.19 million.

Schmidt added that many of the new evicted models have attracted new consumers, with bans on older diesel vehicles in some cities and higher taxes on diesel vehicles in major markets further impacting diesel vehicle sales.

In Germany, Europe's largest automotive market, the resale value of diesel vehicles is also uncertain. Germany's new coalition government has hinted at an interest in reconsidering the fuel tax credit, which is currently about 14 cents cheaper per liter of diesel than premium gasoline.