The death of the diesel car.

Huge things are coming, but are we already seeing the end of diesel cars in Europe?

We are absolutely thrilled with this groundbreaking development. In a remarkable turn of events, Europe has witnessed a significant shift away from traditional diesel vehicles.

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, the number of newly registered electric cars has now surpassed that of diesel-powered counterparts for the first time.

From January to October, an impressive 1.23 million electric vehicles found their way onto European roads, outpacing the 1.22 million diesel vehicles. This surge in electric vehicle adoption boosted the EV market share to a remarkable 14.2% in October, up from 12% during the same month the previous year. This achievement has left diesel trailing behind for the first time, which is indeed a momentous occasion.

Gasoline-powered vehicles still maintain a stronghold on a third of the market, while hybrid electric vehicles hold a 28.6% share. Notably, new car sales in the EU experienced a 14.6% increase in October, largely fueled by a substantial rise in all-electric vehicle sales. Hybrids, on the other hand, made up almost three out of every ten vehicles sold in the EU, with a solid 29% market share.

The recent surge in new EV registrations in Europe, a remarkable 36.3% increase to 121,808 units, has thrilled industry observers. Key markets driving this expansion include Belgium and Denmark, both of which experienced triple-digit percentage growth. Germany, the largest market for battery-electric cars, saw modest growth of 4.3% last month, bringing the total year-to-date volume to 1.2 million units after a brief slowdown in September.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) also experienced significant growth, with an almost 39% increase last month. This growth was predominantly driven by strong performances in the top three markets: Germany (+57.9%), France (+40.1%), and Italy (+28%). This resulted in a cumulative increase of 29.8%, with a total of 2.2 million HEVs sold from January to October 2023.

However, plug-in hybrid electric car sales faced a slight setback, dropping by 5% year on year to 72,002 units last month. Despite notable increases in Belgium (+70.2%) and France (+34.2%), these gains couldn't offset Germany's decline (-49%), which remains the largest market for plug-in hybrids.

Looking back, in 2015, diesel cars held a dominant 50% market share in Europe. Today, that figure has plummeted to a mere 12%. This shift signals the end of an era for diesel, which reached its peak in 2015, approximately 30 years after initially achieving a double-digit market share in Europe. Over the past decade, concerns over noxious emissions and the infamous Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal have tarnished diesel's reputation, leading to its near-cessation in engine development across Europe. Petrol-powered engines are also poised to follow a similar trajectory.

European consumers are clearly embracing electric cars as a pivotal solution to meet Europe's climate goals, provided charging infrastructure can keep pace with demand. The EU's stringent emissions reduction targets include a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2025 for both cars and vans, further reducing emissions by 55% for cars and 50% for vans by 2030. By 2035, all new cars and vans registered in Europe will be required to be zero-emission vehicles, reflecting the urgent need for sustainable transportation solutions. This transformation can't come soon enough.

Check out our partner, Connected Energy, and all the amazing work they are doing with the resuse of EV batteries.