European New Car Sales Rise 13% in June, Chinese Brands Surge 118%

In June, new car sales in Europe reached 1.38 million units, up 13% year-on-year. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales surged by 52%, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales rose by 25%, and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales increased by 26%. In contrast, sales of internal combustion engine (ICE) passenger cars declined by 2.5%, and diesel vehicle sales dropped by 12%. Market data shows that the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y led the BEV segment, while models such as the Renault 5 E-Tech and Škoda Enyaq delivered strong performances. Chinese-brand vehicle sales soared by 118% year-on-year in the month. SAIC Motor’s MG brand topped Chinese brands with 38,640 units sold, followed closely by BYD with 38,300 units, and Chery ranked third with 35,228 units. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have driven gasoline and diesel prices in countries like France and Germany up nearly 20% since February. Combined with the launch of multiple affordable EV models, this has fueled a 60% year-on-year increase in sales within the mainstream affordable EV segment. Among automakers, Leapmotor reported a staggering 565% year-on-year sales increase. Brands under Chery Group saw sales jump 261% to 6,389 units. XPeng recorded a 179% sales increase, while Geely sold 3,837 units in the month, with its premium EV brand Zeekr surging 303% to 1,097 units. Tesla benefited from the launch of more affordable versions of the Model 3 and Model Y, achieving a 50% year-on-year sales increase. Among traditional automakers, BMW posted a 13% sales increase driven by the iX3, Toyota grew by 9.2%, and the Volkswagen Group rose by 7.6%. Mercedes-Benz sales remained flat, while its smart brand jumped 85% to 2,225 units. MINI, Fiat, Cupra, and SEAT saw respective increases of 36%, 26%, 16%, and 15%. Alfa Romeo, DS, Land Rover, and Ford experienced declines of 19%, 11%, 11%, and 7.9%, respectively, while Mitsubishi sales fell by 30%. For the first half of this year, total European auto market sales grew by 5.9% year-on-year.