Plug-In Car Registrations In Europe: Q1-Q2 2021 Full Report
The plug-in segment is booming, but the conventional hybrids expand at a similar rate.
The passenger car registrations in Europe in the second quarter of 2021 amounted to 3,405,600 (up 66% year-over-year) from the challenging Q2 2020.
Our attention focuses on the plug-in segment, which, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), expands quickly and is gaining higher and higher market share.
In total, some 574,565 (up 237%) new passenger plug-in electric cars were registered in the Q2 2021 in the European Union, EFTA (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland) and the UK, which is 16.9% of the market. All-electric cars are marginally ahead of plug-in hybrids.
An interesting thing is also how fast the conventional hybrids expand - the rate of growth is even higher than in the case of plug-ins.
Let's take a look at the data and charts.
2021 Q2
- BEVs (plus FCVs): 289,625 (up 220%) at 8.5% share
- PHEVs: 284,940 (up 256%) at 8.4% share
- Total Plug-ins (plus FCVs): 574,565 (up 237%) at 16.9% share
- HEVs: 692,434 (up 241%) at 20.3% share
- Total car market: 3,405,600 (up 66%)

2021 Q1-Q2
Year-to-date numbers also look impressive, as more than 1 million new plug-ins were registered (up 157% year-over-year), which represents almost 16% of the market.
We guess that soon plug-ins will also match and overtake regular hybrids.
- BEVs (plus FCVs): 492,021 (up 122%) at 7.6% share
- PHEVs: 537,212 (up 200%) at 8.3% share
- Total Plug-ins (plus FCVs): 1,029,233 (up 157%) at 15.9% share
- HEVs: 1,285,641 (up 150%) at 19.8% share
- Total car market: 6,486,351 (up 27%)
BEVs, PHEVs and FCVs (negligible number) - 2021 Q1-Q2
The top six markets by volume in the period accounted for some 795,821 registrations or over 77% of total sales:
- Germany – 312,507 (up 233%)
- France – 144,304 (up 121%)
- UK – 132,100 (up 161%)
- Norway – 69,378 (up 71%)
- Sweden – 69,150 (up 112%)
- Italy – 68,382 (up 334%)
Germany remains the dominant plug-in market in Europe right now with a volume higher than the next two countries combined. Italy, on the other hand, noted very high growth.

In terms of market share, 15 countries are above 10% share. Of course, nothing can really compare to Norway, where more than four in five new cars happen to be plug-ins.
Plug-ins improved their market share in basically all the markets.
The 6 top countries by market share (above 20%) are:
- Norway - 82.7%
- Iceland - 44.3%
- Sweden - 39.9%
- Finland - 28.4%
- Denmark - 26.8%
- Germay - 22.5%

BEVs and FCVs (negligible number) - 2021 Q1-Q2
Germany, the UK, France, Norway and Italy were the largest all-electric car markets in Europe.

The number of countries with a BEV market share of at least 5% increased to 14, while 10% was exceeded in several countries.
The top countries are:
- Norway - 57.3%
- Iceland - 20.5%
- Sweden - 13.1%
- Austria - 11.4%
- Germany - 10.7%
- Netherlands - 10.0%
- Switzerland - 9.9%


PHEVs - 2021 Q1-Q2
Germany, France, the UK, Sweden and Italy were the largest plug-in hybrid car markets in Europe.

The number of countries with a PHEV market share of at least 10% increased to 7.
The top countries are:
- Sweden - 26.9%
- Norway - 25.4%
- Iceland - 23.8%
- Finland - 21.1%
- Denmark - 19.1%
- Germany - 11.8%
- Belgium - 11.2%


* some data estimated
** only countries, for which data are available
*** all BEV charts include FCVs (negligible number)
Source: ACEA
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