The French car market had a “good year” in 2023, according to the industry group representing manufacturers, with a 16 percent increase of sales, and a record number of electric and hybrid vehicles sold, representing a quarter of the market.
Of the 1,774,729 new cars sold in France in 2023, 26 percent were electric and rechargeable hybrids, according to Plateforme automobile, the French automotive industry group.
"It’s a record. We have never seen this. The move towards electrification is underway,” the group’s communications director, Francois Roudier, told the French news agency AFP.
Electric vehicles represented 17 percent of new car sales – a 47 percent increase from the year before – and rechargeable hybrids represented nine percent of sales, according to the group.
Sales of gasoline-powered vehicles remained stable, representing more than a third of the total market, whereas diesel vehicle sales continued to drop.
Subsidies to go down
Overall, 2023 was a good year for car manufacturers, though sales remained lower the two million vehicles sold before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Orders for 2024 are low, however, making the year “much more problematic”.
Subsidies to purchase electric cars will drop in 2024, with a total budget of €1.5 billion, or €200 million less than in 2023.
This will mean a drop from €5,000 to €4,000 for those with higher income, while lower income consumers will continue to be receive €7,000 to offset the cost of a new electric vehicle.
The list of eligible models will be reduced, based on their carbon emissions, and to encourage the purchase of vehicles made in Europe.
(with AFP)
