It seems the thirst for electric cars is growing. Analysis of European Union figures by the Transport & Environment group reveal sales nearly doubled in 2013.
50,000 electric cars were sold last year in Europe, according to the figures. That is more than double the 22,000 sold in 2012 and represents one in every 250 new cars sold.
Three models in particular contributed 8,000 car sales alone, the Volvo V60 Hybrid Plug-in, Renault Zoe and Mitsubishi Outlander. The Zoe’s popularity is unsurprising given its affordability and modest all-electric powertrain, but the inclusion of a £50,000 Volvo is interesting.
Transport and Environment’s Greg Archer said: “Electric cars are growing strongly, but at the same time the simple truth is that they are too expensive for most people to consider.
“But the price will come down over time and you will see this technology start to compete. This is a revolution and it will take time to happen. The hype that surrounded electric vehicles back in 2010 was never going to be delivered.”
Meanwhile the biggest sellers of 2012 – Opel (Vauxhall in the UK) Ampera and Citroen iON/C-zero – proved considerably less popular. “What you are seeing is better cars and better services being offered to the market,” Archer explained.
Electric cars may become more tempting as the government starts to penalise less eco forms of transport, in particular diesels engines.
Norway is currently a hotspot for the green revolution. 14.5 per cent of all new vehicle sales are all-electric, the most popular of which is the Tesla Model S. The UK government currently offers eligible hybrids and electric cars a plug-in grant of £5,000.
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