The United Kingdom surpassed Germany in 2024 and established itself as the largest electric vehicle market in Europe. According to data released by the German automotive authority, KBA, registrations of new fully electric vehicles in Germany fell by more than a quarter to 380,609 units last year, with electric vehicles accounting for 13.5% of new registrations in 2024.
In contrast, the United Kingdom, where the number of new registrations of 100% electric cars increased by 21% in 2024, according to data from the industry group SMMT, surpassed the German market with 381,970 units registered.
The increase in sales in the last month of 2024 raised the overall share of electric vehicles in the UK to 19.6% for the year, a percentage that fell short of the target of 22%, with manufacturers implementing price cuts.
According to “Bloomberg“, the growth in sales of fully electric vehicles in the UK was driven by targets set by the British government for electric vehicle sales, which, if not met by manufacturers, would result in fines of around €18,000 per vehicle.
It is already known that for 2025, the goal is to end the year with a market share of 28% for electric vehicles. However, the British government has already announced that it will review the targets, which could allow for greater flexibility in the numbers to help manufacturers meet their objectives for 2025.
On its part, the decline in sales of 100% electric models in Germany is attributed to the end of purchase incentives, as well as a decrease in global demand.
The end of support for the purchase of 100% electric vehicles has also led to a drop in sales in markets such as Sweden, France, and Ireland, which fell short of expectations.
