Last year, more than ten million purely battery-powered vehicles were sold worldwide. That is 14.3 percent more than a year ago, but still less than expected. An increase of 28 percent was calculated.
However, the research method for China has now been corrected to avoid double counting of vehicles exported from there. China dominates the market with almost two-thirds of electric cars. At 20 percent, growth there is well above average. The US and Great Britain follow. Germany fell from third to fourth place because the market for electric cars there collapsed after the purchase premium was abolished.
Rewards play a role
Figures also fell in other European markets such as France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and Sweden. “It is currently clear that the global e-car market remains highly dependent on external factors,” says Jörn Neuhausen from the consultancy firm ‘Strategy&’. The strong sales in China at the end of the year can also be explained by “a kind of scrapping bonus for the purchase of electric cars”.
In Germany, last year’s sales have been postponed to current ones because manufacturers must sell significantly more pure electric cars this year to meet stricter CO₂ regulations.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
