Europe’s car market expanded in April as demand for electrified vehicles offset declining petrol and diesel sales, with Chinese brands continuing to gain ground across the region.
Registrations across the European Union, Britain and the European Free Trade Association rose 7% to 1,152,315 vehicles in April, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association published on Wednesday.
The cumulative total for January through April now sits 4.8% above the same period a year earlier, reflecting sustained momentum across most of the continent’s major markets.
Electrified vehicles, covering battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid models, rose approximately 21% and accounted for more than two-thirds of all registrations recorded during the month.
Petrol and diesel vehicles moved in the opposite direction, falling around 15% and 17% respectively, continuing a trend that has accelerated sharply over the past year.
The data adds to evidence that policy support, subsidies and higher fuel costs are pushing buyers towards lower-emission vehicles, especially in the region’s biggest markets.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) extended its recovery for a third consecutive month, with April registrations climbing 46.5% to 10,654 units after more than a year of declines.
Despite that rebound, Tesla remained behind China’s BYD (OTC: BYDDY), whose European registrations jumped 114.5% to 27,008 vehicles, cementing the Chinese automaker’s position as a significant force in the market.
Chinese carmaker Chery posted the sharpest growth of any manufacturer in the data, with registrations surging approximately 322% compared with the same month a year earlier.
Established European manufacturers produced mixed results during the period, with Volkswagen (OTC: VWAGY) rising 3.5% and Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) posting a 6.7% increase in registrations.
Bayerische Motoren Werke (OTC: BMWYY) recorded a 2.4% gain, while Mercedes-Benz (OTC: MBGYY) grew 7%, contrasting with Renault, which reported a 3.6% decline in registrations for the month.
Italy, France and Germany ranked among the strongest markets for battery-electric vehicles across the first four months of the year, with registrations up approximately 73%, 48% and 41% respectively.
The continued rise of Chinese brands in Europe marks a notable shift in the competitive landscape, as manufacturers from China accelerate their expansion into markets long dominated by established Western and German automakers.
BYD’s April figures in particular highlight how rapidly Chinese electric vehicle producers have scaled their European presence, nearly doubling their registration totals year on year across the region.
The April figures suggest the structural shift away from combustion engines is progressing faster than many industry analysts had previously anticipated, driven largely by regulatory pressure and evolving consumer preferences.