The
jump in sales shows electrified vehicles are becoming more
mainstream products after years of being a niche market and it
came at a time when overall EU car sales plunged nearly 24% to
9.9 million because of COVID-19 lockdowns.
The data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers
Association (ACEA) showed sales of fully-electric and plug-in
hybrids surged to 1.046 million vehicles from 387,808 in 2019.
Sales of self-charging hybrid cars climbed 59% to 1.182 million
last year while petrol and diesel vehicle sales fell 37% and 32%
respectively, the data showed. Petrol cars remained the biggest
seller, however, accounting for 48% of all EU sales.
As well as having to meet stringent new EU carbon emissions
targets, carmakers benefited from government subsidies for
electric vehicles as part of pandemic recovery programmes,
especially in France and Germany.
Sales of fully-electric vehicles more than doubled to 538,772
from 247,854 a year earlier.
(Reporting by Nick Carey; Editing by David Clarke)
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