BMW tops European EV market, surpasses Tesla.

BMW emerged as the leader of the European battery electric vehicle (BEV) market in July for the first time, according to new data from Jato Dynamics. The German carmaker’s impressive performance saw a 35% year-on-year increase, outpacing Tesla, Mercedes, and Audi in BEV sales.

The data, covering 28 countries including the UK, highlights BMW’s success with popular models such as the iX1, i4, and i5. The newly released iX2 made a significant impact by registering over 1,300 units. Tesla, on the other hand, experienced a 16% year-on-year decline due to drops in Model Y and 3 sales, losing its position as Europe’s top-selling BEV brand.

Despite BMW’s achievements, overall BEV demand saw a decline in July. While car demand across all markets increased by 1.5% year on year, BEV registrations dropped by 6%. This decline was attributed to consumer uncertainty surrounding EV incentives and the future of electric vehicles. The lack of clarity, coupled with low residual values of EVs, contributed to the decrease in July.

On a positive note, SUVs experienced a surge in demand, accounting for 54% of all vehicle registrations in July – a record high for the segment. With 554,000 new SUVs registered, there was a 6% increase compared to the previous year. Volkswagen Group led the market in SUV registrations with a 26% share, followed by Hyundai-Kia with 12% and Stellantis with 11.5%.

Among SUV segments, compact SUVs (C-SUVs) and small SUVs (B-SUVs) showed the most growth, with 3% and 14% increases respectively. Large SUVs (E-SUVs) and luxury models (F-SUVs) also saw rises in registrations by 23% and 32% respectively. However, midsize SUVs (D-SUVs) experienced a 7% decline in July.

Overall, new car registrations in the European markets climbed by 1.5% in July, totalling 1.03 million units and pushing the year-to-date registrations to nearly 7.9 million. The growth was particularly noticeable in countries like Poland, Portugal, and Slovakia, with increases of 19%, 27%, and 12% respectively. Some countries, like the UK, Italy, and Spain, also witnessed slight growth, but others like Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland saw decreases in registrations.

In terms of individual car models, the Dacia Sandero emerged as the most sought-after car in the region in July, with 22,400 units registered – a significant increase of 34%. The budget-friendly supermini outsold the second-best Volkswagen T-Roc by 3,000 units, solidifying its position as a popular choice among consumers.