New car registrations in the European Union fell by 5.2% in March 2024, to just over one million units, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
According to the group, the timing of the Easter holidays was the core reason for the decline in registrations, with the four largest countries all seeing declines: Germany (‑6.2%), Spain (-4.7%), Italy (-3.7%), and France (-1.5%).
Quarterly increase
In the first quarter, meanwhile, car registrations were up 4.4%, to nearly 2.8 million units, with Italy and France each recording a 5.7% increase, followed by Germany (+4.2%) and Spain (+3.1%), ACEA said.
In terms of the types of cars being registered during the month, petrol and diesel cars captured 47.8% of the market in March, while battery-electric cars slipped to a 13% share from 13.9% in the same period last year. Hybrid-electrics accounted for 29% of the market, from 24.4% last year.
Car sales by type
In March, the three largest battery-electric markets saw varying trends, with Belgium (+23.8%) and France (+10.9%) experiencing double-digit increases, while Germany reported a decrease of 28.9%.
Hybrid-electric cars, however, stood out with a 12.6% rise in registrations despite the overall market decline. Notably, France and Italy, two of the largest hybrid-electric markets, recorded substantial increases of 29.6% and 8.3%, respectively.
On the other hand, petrol car sales decreased by 10.2%, with notable reductions across several EU markets, including France (-17.7%), Spain (-10.1%), and Germany (-3.4%). Italy was an exception, posting growth with a 5.7% increase.
The diesel market experienced an even more pronounced downturn, with an 18.5% drop in March. France (-32.1%), Spain (-38%), and Italy (-27.6%) saw significant declines, while Germany recorded a slight reduction of 0.5%.
‘EU car registrations dropped 5.2% in March, marking the first decline this year,’ ACEA said in a statement. ‘Battery-electric vehicle sales decreased by 11.3%, capturing a 13% market share, while hybrids rose to 29% from 24.4% share. Petrol and diesel sales significantly declined.’
