The popularity of battery-operated vehicles is on an increasing trend in the industry, even in Europe.

Europeans bought more electric cars than diesel cars in December 2021 – a surprising reflection because in this market, diesel cars have always been the most popular choice.

More than 20% of new cars sold in Europe and the UK in December were electric, according to data from Matthias Schmidt, an auto industry analyst based in Berlin, Germany. Accordingly, sales of diesel cars – which accounted for more than half of all new car sales in the EU in 2015 – fell below 19%.

December numbers also reflect how EVs are quickly becoming mainstream. Sales of battery-powered vehicles increased in Europe, the US, and China in 2021, while sales of internal combustion-engine cars stagnated. Encouragement and support from governments makes electric vehicles increasingly accessible, and the richness of options also rose. Consumers are now more aware of the environmental costs of traditional motor vehicles.

The growth of electric vehicles was recorded in the context of the general market crisis. Sales of all new car models in the EU fell by more than 20% in November as chip shortage halted production, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (EAMA). This data was provided by Schmidt includes Norway – a non-EU country – where the percentage of electric vehicles is higher than any other country in the continent.

Tesla is the best-selling electric vehicle brand in 2021, followed by Volkswagen. Tesla is also well-positioned to consolidate and expand its leadership role as it opens a factory near Berlin to serve the European market. Prior, the company had to import cars from China.

Diesel engines have been popular for many years in Europe because of tax policies that make them cheaper than gasoline engines. Diesel vehicles are basically more economical than gasoline, but produce more polluting emissions. However, the begin to decline in 2015 after Volkswagen admitted to selling millions of vehicles fitted with emissions cheating software. This software helps the car appear to be cleaner while actually producing more emissions than it is.

This scandal caused the whole world to outrage. Cities like Hamburg and Berlin ban diesel cars in some areas, while the EU tightens regulations on car emissions. Car manufacturers have to face heavy fines if they do not reduce CO₂ emissions in accordance with regulations.

The new regulations also push companies to develop electric cars, which are zero-emissions vehicles. Currently, gasoline-powered cars are still popular, accounting for 40% of new car sales, but will expect to gradually decrease.

Source: vnexpress.net