Ten million BEVs and PHEVs on global roads

Cumulative EV sales reached 10.8 million in December 2020.

So says EV-volumes in reporting that 2020 became a great year for plug-in vehicles.

“We are expecting global BEV and PHEV sales of 3.24 million, compared to 2.26 million for 2019,” the EV world sales database says.

“What started with an unprecedented economic downturn during the first COVID-19 wave became a success story for EVs in Europe.”

Nearly 1.4 million BEVs and PHEVs were registered there during 2020 – 137% more than in 2019, in a vehicle market that was down by 20% year-on-year.

The combination of new attractive models, incentive boosts by green recovery funds, the 95g CO2 mandate, much improved availability and intense promotion of EVs contributed.

 Europe has superseded China as the motor of EV growth, EV-volumes says.

“For the first time since 2015, EV sales in Europe have outpaced NEV sales in China.

“Europe is further ahead in terms of EV share: BEVs and PHEVs increased from 3.3% in 2019 to 10.2% in 2020, counting the EU and EFTA countries, including the UK. The NEV share in China increased from 5.1% to 5.5% during this period.”

Outside Europe, EV growth was slower but still significant.

China NEV sales recovered strongly during the second half and were up by 12% for the year.

EV sales in the US increased by a meagre 4%, despite the sales start of the Tesla Model Y, EV-volumes states.

“Fortunes varied in other markets, with declines in Japan, Canada and Australia, while increases in South Korea, Taiwan, India, Israel, UAE and Hong Kong outweighed these losses.”