Global sales of fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles rose 35% in October from the same month last year, with growth across all regions led by a 54% jump in sales in China, market research firm Rho Motion said on Wednesday.
European sales rose just 0.8%, but were up in annual terms for the second straight month and the research firm expects a good end to the year in the region, data manager Charles Lester told reporters.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
The European auto sector is facing challenges including high production costs, managing the shift to EVs, and an influx of lower-cost EVs from Chinese rivals.
Europe’s biggest carmaker Volkswagen said in October it planned to shut at least three factories in Germany.
BY THE NUMBERS
Sales of EVs – whether fully electric or plug-in hybrids – reached 1.72 million vehicles worldwide in October, Rho Motion data showed.
Sales in China hit a record high 1.2 million vehicles. In the United States and Canada, EV sales were up 11.4% to 0.16 million, while in Europe, they reached 0.26 million, up slightly on the year but down 14% from September. In the rest of the world, sales increased 10.9%.
