New car sales in the European Union rose 10.1% year-on-year in February, with the bloc's main markets all recording solid growth, Europe's automakers association said today.
Registrations rose by 13% in France, 12.8% in Italy, 9.9% in Spain and 5.4% in Germany, consolidating similar trends seen in January, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said in a statement.
The four countries were also the main contributors to a 24.7% yearly jump in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales in the EU, with the market share of HEVs in the bloc increasing to 28.9% from 25.5% a year ago, the data showed.
Hybrid vehicles, seen as a compromise between all-combustion and all-electric cars, are emerging as a preferred alternative to battery electric vehicles for consumers in Europe, the US and China.
Registrations for all electrified vehicles - fully electric models, plug-in hybrids and full hybrids - rose by 18.4% year-on-year and accounted for 48.2% of all new passenger car registrations in February, up from 44.8% in the previous year.
