The European automotive market continued to deteriorate in December 2021. According to JATO Dynamics data for 28 European markets, total volume fell by 22% to 949,252 units. In December 2020, the market was already down from pre pandemic levels by 3.8% with 1.21 million new vehicles registered.
Against this backdrop, Tesla has emerged as one of the few brands that has been able to improve its position within the market – registering 35,230 new cars in December. This is the highest monthly volume for the US manufacturer since its arrival in Europe. Consequently, Tesla saw a record market share of 3.71%, up from 2.23% in December 2020, and 1.93% in December 2019.
Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics commented: “Tesla has weathered the current crisis in Europe’s automotive industry better than any other OEM.” The Model 3 led the model rankings while the Model Y also secured a place in the top 40 in December. The success of these two models alone has allowed Tesla to outsell established brands including Kia (12 models available), Citroen (10), and Fiat (7).
The popularity of SUVs continued to grow across Europe. In December 2021, these vehicles made up 47.5% of total registrations – a new monthly market share record.
The segment was led by Volkswagen Group with 23.9% market share, followed by Stellantis with 16.4%, and Hyundai-Kia with 10%. Peugeot’s 2008 led the SUV model rankings with 16,330 units, down by 9% on 2020, and up by 47% compared with 2019. The Dacia Duster, Hyundai Tucson, Toyota Yaris Cross, Opel/Vauxhall Mokka, and Tesla Model Y, also saw strong results.
In December, low emissions vehicles also set a new monthly market share record with 29.3%. The popularity of PHEVs and BEVs were boosted by better availability at dealerships, and the continued efforts from governments to incentivise consumers to shift away from traditional segments. This level of growth meant that EVs accounted for a major portion of all new car registration in several markets, including Norway (90%), the Netherlands (64%), Sweden (61%), and Denmark (57%).