Sales of fully electric cars again rose sharply in the third quarter of 2017 in Europe to 23,841 vehicles sold, an increase by 61%, according to figures released Wednesday by the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association (ACEA). In Belgium, however, the increase was limited to 21% or only 560 vehicles sold. Almost all countries in the European Union have seen their sales take off.
As for hybrid cars, sales jumped 60% in the third quarter to 110,778 vehicles sold. Here too, Belgium is lagging behind with a growth of 13.9% to 2,639 hybrid vehicles sold.
Worldwide, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), almost 1 million electric vehicles were sold last year. This is still only slightly more than 1% of all cars sold. However, in the long-term sales of EVs is predicted to reach 50% in 2040 or about one third of the total car fleet.
According to BNEF the transition to EVs is inevitable and sales of EVs will increase together with an expansion of charging infrastructures.
In seven countries, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, France, China and the United Kingdom, the market shares of electric cars have already risen above 1%. In Norway the market share have reached 23% and in the Netherlands 10 %.
The Brussels Times
