Tesla’s participation in the critical European market for batteries and electric vehicles collapsed in the first month of 2021 and, according to new research, China has ranked first in Europe in the electric vehicle race.
Tesla TSLA,
the trajectory in Europe is declining. There were 1,619 registrations of Tesla battery-powered electric vehicles in 18 key European markets in January, accounting for 3.5% of all battery-powered electric vehicles registered that month, according to a report based on public data from the analyst the automotive industry Matthias Schmidt. In 2020, the U.S. vehicle maker registered 1,977 vehicles in January, more than a 5% market share.
These 18 markets include the states of the European Union (minus 13 countries in Central and Eastern Europe), as well as the United Kingdom, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.
Schmidt described Tesla’s performance in January as “consistently low,” noting that the company’s European delivery schedule has a peak volume at the end of each quarter. However, the analyst noted that Tesla’s 12-month volumes have lagged behind Hyundai 005380,
and Kia 000270,
which are now the third most popular EV group in Europe.
Tesla comfortably topped European electric vehicle lists in 2019. It sold more than 109,000 vehicles that year, accounting for 31% of the region’s battery-electric vehicle market. But the tide turned in 2020, with Tesla falling behind the two Volkswagen VOW group brands,
and the alliance between Renault RNO,
Nissan 7201,
and Mitsubishi 8058,
Last year, Tesla accounted for only 13% of the European market despite a smaller proportional decline in the number of vehicles it sold (around 10%), from 109,000 in 2019 to almost 98,000 in 2020.
According to Schmidt, who publishes the European Electric Car Report, it was the introduction of emission targets and the spectrum of massive fines that accelerated the battle of European carmakers against Tesla for dominance.
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More generally, in January, China competed against Europe to regain its crown as the world’s largest electric vehicle market. In January, 179,000 electric vehicles with electric battery and plug-in hybrids were registered in China, compared to 110,000 in Europe.
The momentum in China comes after an outstanding year for Europe. There were 1.33 million electric vehicle registrations in Europe in 2020, which topped 1.25 million in China amid a metal pedal boost to increase the adoption of electric vehicles by governments Europeans and overburdened consumer demand.
In China there is a strong domestic electric vehicle industry, including Nio NIO manufacturers.
Xpeng XPEV,
and the WORLD 1211,
The Schmidt report shows that the Volkswagen group, which manufactures VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat and Porsche, remains the most popular battery-powered electric vehicle group in Europe, with more than 22% market share after 10,193 vehicles were registered.
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Followed closely by Stellantis STLA,
a group formed earlier this year through the merger of PSA — which included Peugeot and Citroën — and Fiat Chrysler. Stellantis sold 9,005 vehicles.
Behind Stellantis are Hyundai and Kia, increasingly popular in Europe, which recorded 7,087 registrations. This places the Korean group ahead of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, with 6,018 registrations, although Renault’s Zoe continued to be the most popular battery-powered electric vehicle in Europe in January.
Then comes Daimler DAI, owner of Mercedes,
BMW BMW,
and Volvo VOLV.B,
all with records ahead of Tesla in the first month of the year.
Germany continued to be Europe’s largest market for electric vehicles. The 16,315 battery-powered electric vehicles registered in the country in January were more than the total of the next two most important markets, France and the United Kingdom, combined.