Europe’s EV boom: Nearly 600,000 cars hit the road in just 3 months

Western Europe has just clocked a record surge in electric vehicle registrations, with nearly 600,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) hitting the roads between April and June, new research shows.

The milestone marks the strongest quarter yet for EV adoption, fuelled by the arrival of cheaper, smaller models that are finally pulling in private buyers.

“Electric vehicles are becoming more affordable and more attractive to private consumers for the first time. Previously, it was just corporate consumers, company car drivers,” said Matthias Schmidt, a Berlin-based automotive analyst.

While EVs remain pricier upfront than petrol cars, lower running costs and fresh incentives are helping to tip the balance.

Carmakers like Renault and Citroën-owner Stellantis have rolled out budget-friendly BEVs to meet EU emissions rules and win over price-sensitive buyers across southern Europe.

The rapid expansion of charging networks is also tackling “range anxiety” — the fear of running out of power before finding a plug — making EVs a more realistic option for everyday drivers.

Sales momentum is set to accelerate further this quarter, with registrations predicted to surpass 600,000 between July and September.

A September plate change in the UK, traditionally a sales driver, could help push the numbers even higher.

Meanwhile, Chinese-made EVs are muscling into Europe.

BYD, Tesla’s fiercest rival, has been ramping up deliveries to the UK, Spain, and Italy with cars — with one in four BYDs shipped to Europe ending up on British roads.

Despite the EU slapping tariffs of up to 35% on Chinese imports in 2024, the UK has held off, and Chinese-made vehicles already make up one in 10 EVs in Europe.

Looking ahead, a rebooted French social leasing scheme and a new UK subsidy of up to £3,750 ($5,062) for select models are expected to keep demand soaring.

However, UK discounts will only apply to the “greenest” cars under £37,000 ($49,953), ruling out Teslas and many BYD models.