European Electric Car Sales Surpass China in January-July

According to reports, in the first seven months of 2020, sales of electric vehicles (pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids) in Europe surpassed those in China.

China sold more than 1.2 million electric vehicles in 2018, and it has always been the world's largest electric vehicle market and is far ahead.

However, according to Matthias Schmid, an independent auto analyst in Berlin, Germany. In the first seven months of 2020, the European market sold 500,000 pure electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). This is 14,000 more than the sales volume in China during the same period.

Schmid pointed out that the main reasons for this amazing result are the "generous" consumer subsidies supported by European governments and manufacturers, and the financial subsidies implemented by major markets in response to the new coronavirus epidemic.

However, China has been cutting subsidies to make automakers more independent. This fact and the particularly serious impact of the epidemic on the Chinese people are also an important factor that will surpass China’s sales of electric vehicles in Europe.

In the first seven months of this year, European plug-in hybrid vehicle sales were 231,000 units, more than double the 108,000 units in China during the same period. However, as the world's largest new car market, China's sales of pure electric battery vehicles are still in the leading position, reaching 378,000 units, compared with 269,000 units in Europe.

At this rate, sales of electric vehicles in Europe this year will exceed 1 million units. The chances of reaching this milestone will increase with the arrival of several highly anticipated models, the most notable of which is the Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback, which will land in the European and UK markets in September.

However, don’t expect Europe’s lead to last for too long. Last year, Tesla was finally approved to produce Model 3 at its super factory in Shanghai. This factory has an annual production capacity of 500,000 units. As long as sales can reach one-fifth of this number, China can regain its position as the largest electric vehicle market.