Alternative fuel vehicle registrations: +6.4% in first quarter of 2016

In the first quarter of 2016, total alternative fuel vehicle registrations in the EU continued the positive momentum (+6.4%) of last year, totalling 154,795 units. Of these, total electric vehicle (EV) registrations showed a double-digit gain (+26.8%), which was supported by the growth of both battery (+33.9%) and plug-in electric vehicles (+23.5%). Total EV registrations rose from 28,181 units in Q1 2015 to 35,730 units in Q1 2016. Demand for new hybrid vehicles (HEV) also grew significantly (+30.1%), reaching 69,530 units in the first three months of 2016. On the other hand, new registrations of cars powered by propane or natural gas showed a double-digit decline (-22.4%), totalling 49,535 – about 15,000 units less than in Q1 2015.    

Among the EU’s major markets, Spain saw the largest increase in AFV registrations over the last quarter (+51.9%), followed by France (+28.7%), the UK (+23.7%) and Germany (+13.0%). Growth in these countries was fully driven by the electric and hybrid electric car segments, especially in the UK and France where the largest number of new electric cars was recorded. Italy performed less well compared to Q1 2015 (-12.9%), mainly due to the decline observed in the registrations of gas-fuelled cars, which still represent more than 80% of total AFV registrations in the Italian market.