In September, 809,163 new cars were sold in the European Union (EU), 6.1% less than in the same period in 2023. In August, sales also fell by 18.3% year-on-year. This follows from a report by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Decline in sales

In September, three of the four major markets in the region saw a decline: 11.1% in France, 10.7% in Italy, and 7% in Germany.

At the same time, Spain saw a 6.3% increase.

Among the brands, Stellantis, the second-largest European automaker, saw the most significant sales drop (-27.1%). Renault Group saw a 1.5% decline. At the same time, Volkswagen Group and BMW Group increased sales by 0.3% and 7.6%, respectively.

The number of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) sold increased by 9.8% to 139,702 units in September 2024 (286%). Sales of gasoline cars fell by 17.9%, particularly in France, at 31.9%; Italy, at 23.3%; Germany, at 15.2%; and Spain, at 10.7%.

Car duties

The European Commission’s press service reported that in early October, EU countries supported the introduction of a countervailing import duty on Chinese electric vehicles because, in Brussels’ opinion, Chinese automakers are misusing state subsidies.

China’s Ministry of Commerce recognized the EU’s political will to continue WTO negotiations. However, the ministry warned that the duties would “shake and undermine” the confidence of Chinese companies investing in Europe.