April EU New Car Registrations Top 1.15 Million; BYD and Chery Surge

In April this year, new vehicle registrations in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries reached 1,152,315 units, up 7% year-on-year. Cumulative registrations from January to April rose by 4.8% compared to the same period last year. Registrations of electrified vehicles—including battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and hybrids—increased by approximately 21%, accounting for more than two-thirds of total new vehicle registrations. In contrast, registrations of gasoline and diesel vehicles declined by about 15% and 17%, respectively. Chinese brands stood out: BYD recorded 27,008 registrations in April, surging 114.5% year-on-year, while Chery saw its registrations jump by around 322%. Tesla registered 10,654 vehicles in April, up 46.5% year-on-year, marking its third consecutive month of growth. Traditional automakers showed mixed results: Volkswagen, Stellantis, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz posted year-on-year increases of 3.5%, 6.7%, 2.4%, and 7%, respectively, while Renault declined by 3.6%. In the first four months of this year, battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose by approximately 73% in Italy, 48% in France, and 41% in Germany.