The European PEV market in 2018, up by a third

30 January 2019

The Renault Zoe is a bestseller in December, but Nissan Leaf has become the European electric car 2018

European market for passenger electric vehicles and rechargeable hybrids made up 2018 on a positive note – the December registration amounted to a record of 40.5 million (+23% compared to the same period in 2017), while the total supply in 2018, amounted to a record 386 thousand, or 33% more compared to the 2017 year, while market share in 2018 amounted to a record 2.5 percent, thanks to an impressive growth increased to 3.9% in December.

But if, overall, the figures indicate that 2018 will be the year of evolution, not revolution, the separation process machine types of BEV (battery) and PHEV (hybrid) is exposed to global changes, so this year the European market began to get rid of the addiction to PHEV, so there was a clear gap between these technologies: in December, the share of all BEV had 66% of sales against 51% for the entire year, in turn for the first time in 2014 ahead of BEV PHEV for the year.

What was the reason for this change? First and foremost, of course, the introduction of new, more "long-range" BEV models (Jaguar i-Pace, the Hyundai EV Kona, etc) and increase production of popular models (II Nissan LEAF, Renault Zoe, Hyundai Ioniq EV, etc.), definitely helped, but the main reason was the decrease in sales of the PHEV due to the introduction of a new, much more demanding emissions standard WLTP, which was introduced in the third quarter of the year, triggering even stop production of the popular hybrids such as the VW Passat GTE and its sibling, the Golf GTE.

Accordingly, the growth rate of both technologies show different vectors of development: electric cars flourished in Europe in 2018 (+48%), approaching the bar sales of 200 thousand, and December, from +70% (26 thousand) was the second record month in a row in the last quarter of the year, which gives hope for an even higher growth rate in 2019, while the PHEV grew up in 2018 on 20%, but only thanks to the short take-off growth in sales before entering the standards WLTP, and then monthly just reduced sale, so in December, there was a sharp drop to 20% – the biggest, starting in 2016.

Recover whether the PHEV in Europe sometime in the future, or they will be absorbed by the upcoming tsunami of presentations of new BEV?

One thing is certain – electric cars starting in 2019 rising position.

However, the failure of the PHEV was not the same for all brands, as some (BMW, Mitsubishi, Volvo etc.) quite successfully carried out the upgrade of its hybrid model line-UPS and continue to increase sales already in compliance with the new rules, which led to some brilliant breakthroughs, in particular, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – the 3rd place in the ranking.

In December in the Top rankings there have been some changes, although none of the new models (Jaguar i-Pace and Tesla Model S) is actually a no surprise because they both benefited from soaring sales in the Netherlands, and Tesla, in General, regularly updates its own records, through to the peaks in sales in the last quarter of the year.

Electric car Renault Zoe ended the year with a bestseller of December, and the second and third places on the podium went to the Nissan LEAF and the ever-popular hybrid crossover Outlander PHEV.


Top 5 models (December):

#1 Renault Zoe – a record of registration in 5382 units indicate a jump of the French electro hatchback costs by 67%, made possible by increasing the supply of batteries by LG French automaker with its newly expanded European plant. Getting rid of bottlenecks on the batteries finally must demonstrate real demand for Zoe. As for individual markets, on the domestic French market were sold 2558 units (+55%), and other significant sales figures showed that Germany (944 units), Norway (327 units) and Sweden (340 units – a new local record), which made Zoe the most popular model, mainly due to the unbeatable price and reserve.

#2 Nissan LEAF – Despite the fact that it again exceeded the French cousin brother the Renault Zoe, the Nissan LEAF continues to expand its sales with registrations 3604 units in a more detailed analysis of the figures for the previous month main market for the LEAF, as usual, left Norway (719 units), followed by France with 447 units and Sweden with 343 units, while in Spain with 204 units of Japanese electro hatchback costs showed a second consecutive record month. Will this surge in sales to have some value in the future, given the British Brexit plebiscite on the secession of Catalonia?

#3 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – a favorite of the European rechargeable hybrid, popular as a family car, towing trailers and car for a winter climate, continues to climb after the upgrade (besides in the absence of direct competition), so the Japanese crossover was again a winner in the segment of PHEV and was present on the podium thanks to a 3023 units. registration, which is 60% more than last year. Plug-in electrocreaser still offers a unique combination of a sufficiently large reserve of electrical power alone, a spacious body, all-wheel drive and practicality, while maintaining its popularity in such markets as the UK, Norway and Sweden.

# 4 i Jaguar-Pace – was a new entrant in the top five, and, paradoxically winning from the decline in sales in the Netherlands, while increased production that has allowed him to become the second electric car brand in Europe through the supply of 2983 units – a new record in the near future will be difficult to beat. It is interesting that the Netherlands have not chosen the entire quota i-Pace, the result is a small batch of this electrocreaser got on such markets as Norway (165 units) and the UK (105 units) that may already be in the 2019 to prevent the emergence of larger markets for innovative electric car Jaguar Crossover-Hatchback-Thingy is also known in narrow circles of a Jaguar dealership as a "machine for the money this money."

#5 Tesla Model S – In a time when all conversations revolve around iskluchitelno Tesla Model 3, the "good old electro hatchback costs" Model S still shows that he still have some tricks up my sleeve, so 2931 units delivered to customers in Europe were his best result of the model for 3 years. Of course, the majority (1558 units) was implemented because of the hype in the Netherlands, but the sales figures were also significant in Norway (600 units) and the UK (230 units), so the question for 2019 is as follows: this is the Swan song for the Model S in Europe, or she will have the capacity, even when the market will come cheaper Model 3?


the Nissan Leaf barely wins

In the ranking for the whole of 2018, at the last minute due to December sales boom there have been some changes.

So, if the top position has remained stable, in position # 9 changes, for example, electrotransfer Tesla Model X has extracted the greatest benefit from the peak of their sales in the last month of the quarter, rising two positions in the rating, while the Kia Niro PHEV and Hyundai Ioniq Electric moved up one position to 13 and 14, respectively, which clearly indicates one of the latest trends in the ranking: the growing popularity of Korean models PEV.

The BMW also had reason to be proud: its models i3 and 530e has reached record levels, respectively, the i3 – 2536 units, while sedans 530e registered 2022 units of the Fate of the BMW i3 are especially interesting, as the hybrid and electric car, which appeared on the market in 2013, produced since then without any major changes, except for the battery capacity, which once again confirms the formula: big battery = higher sales.

The pedestal 2018 demonstrates that the Nissan LEAF managed to beat the Renault Zoe and to win the title of "bestseller of the year", but obviously, if last year was 13 months, the French electro hatchback costs could seize this honorable trophy at Nissan electric car... however, The Japanese electro hatchback costs should be congratulated, as he won the title of European of the bestselling EV for the first time since 2013.

Company electro hatchback costs the BMW i3 won the bronze medal, but its growing sales (+17%) is still barely enough to retain his third place, as it currently comes on the heels of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV with an even higher rate of sales, which fell behind by only 500 units and would also be able to dream, "Here, would in a year was 13 months...".

If we consider the winners in some sub-segments, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV was again the best-selling rechargeable hybrid, furthermore, taking the palm of crossovers in the segment of the PEV. Both Tesla models (Model S and Model X) were the winners in the sub-segments, respectively, full-size cars and SUV, though BMW 530e is not. At the opposite end of the market from luxury Tesla Model S – electro hatchback costs the Renault Zoe, which became a bestseller among compact electric vehicles and, finally, the BMW 225xe A. Tourer, which was the best among the electrified minivan. Which obviously contributed to the lack of real competition, because the market is simply no electric versions such as the Renault Scenic or the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso?

It should be noted Jaguar i-Pace, which began at the end of the year only 21-m, but it is so close to the 20-th position in the Top 20, there is no doubt that in 2019 more than confident he will settle in the Top 20, the only question is how high, it is possible that in the Top 10?

Outside of the "Top-21", it makes sense to celebrate two newly debuted "long-range" electrocreaser of that promise, by the way, become the new trend of 2019. This Audi e-Tron, the first 700 units which went on the market in December, and Kia Niro EV, or e-Niro, with its more than 300 units, is without a doubt only demonstration of supply to showrooms. And it should mean that both models will inevitably be present in 2019 not only in the Top 20, but to qualify for a place in the Top 10.

Building supplies model Hyundai Kona EV (finally!), for the first time allowed this electrocreaser to enter a four-digit number of sales units 1022, because he has to satisfy a long queue of more than 10 000 customers.

As for the rating of producers, last year's winner BMW (15% of the market) kept its championship and in 2018, while the second-place Volkswagen (12%) resisted catching up to the number 3 Nissan (11%) and the number 4 – Renault (10%), while Tesla with the 7% won the race for 5th place at Volvo with its share also in the region of 7%.

Segment LCV with electric

The best-selling light commercial electric vehicle Europe to 2018 – Renault Kangoo Z. E. (photo at MIAS-2018)

In the category of LCV the year 2018 was also positive: sales of commercial electric vehicles has increased by 40 percent to about 22,000 units, which led to a record share of 1.0% of the LCV market, and the winner of 2018 became the Renault Kangoo Z. E., with nearly 8,500 units, which is two times more than last year (again: battery with a capacity of 33 kW•h gave the inevitable growth of sales). German StreetScooter (+18% to 4800 units) held on vtoroe place as in 2017, again ahead of the Nissan e-NV200, which stood at 3rd position with 3300 units.

Prospect for 2019
If you look at the prospects for 2019, the title of "Bestseller of the year" has actually been reserved for the upcoming Tesla Model 3 with anticipated deliveries in the amount of 120 000 units, and the Nissan LEAF and the Renault Zoe will fight for "silver" with the volumes of supply at the level of 80 000 units. each and it will be interesting to see who will be enrolled for the remaining seven positions in the Top 10, as the market will see many promising innovations that will try to displace the current leaders of the ranking, so list them in alphabetical order: Audi e-Tron, Hyundai Kona BEV, Hyundai Ioniq Electric , Jaguar i-Pace, the Kia Niro EV and Mercedes EQC. Perhaps he shouldn't be excluded from this list of candidates and VW ID Neo, which is likely to make a sensation in the last months of 2019 and even enter in the Top 10 in the very last days of the year....