Overview
- New Automotive and E-Mobility Europe reported Monday that March battery‑electric registrations across 15 EU and EFTA markets jumped 51% to about 224,000, taking EVs to roughly 22% of new car sales and lifting Q1 totals to nearly 560,000, up about 29% year over year.
- Analysts link the surge to higher pump prices and energy‑security worries, with E‑Mobility Europe estimating that the half‑million EVs registered in Q1 could cut oil use by around two million barrels per year.
- Policy support amplified the gains in key countries, with Germany rebounding after incentives returned, France reaching a 28% March EV share through its social‑leasing program, and Italy recording a 65% year‑to‑date rise to an 8.6% March share.
- Chinese manufacturers are capitalizing on demand where supply is available, including Leapmotor’s rapid push in Italy and strong order books for BYD and peers across Southeast Asia as dealers report backlogs and short stock.
- Regional dynamics remain uneven, as Australia saw used and repairable EV sales more than double in March and salvage prices climb 35% month over month, while U.S. EV sales fell 27% in Q1 after model cancellations left fewer choices on dealer lots.