Car sales jumped in Europe last year but are forecast to grow this year at a much slower rate.
European Union sales surged nearly 14% for the year to more than 10.5 million, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, or ACEA. The group expects 2.5% sales growth this year to 10.7 million units, 20% of them battery-electric, or more than two million.
European consumers, compared to those in the U.S., have more readily embraced electric vehicles, and battery-electric sales alone spiked 37% to a nearly 15% market share. In the process, EVs passed diesel to be the third best-selling fuel type last year.
Germany, Europe’s biggest EV market, though, is expected to see sales fall this year by 14% in its first drop in eight years, Bloomberg reported.
