Electric vehicle sales rise sharply in France

Electric vehicle sales in Europe have grown significantly, with 41.6% of new car registrations in France being electric vehicles in September. Across the entire European Union, electric vehicles accounted for 24.2% of new registrations, showing a clear upward trend.

Year-over-year increase in electric vehicle adoption

Since the start of this year, electric vehicles have represented 31.4% of new car sales in France, compared to 18.2% during the same period last year. This increase is largely due to rising fuel prices, which have made traditional fuel-powered vehicles more expensive to operate.

New electric models achieve record sales

Several new electric models are setting sales records, including the Renault 5, BMW iX3, and Volkswagen ID.Polo. The Renault 5 reached 100,000 units produced in less than a year, while the BMW iX3 received 100,000 orders within a year of its release.

High demand leads to delivery delays

Despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles, some models are experiencing significant delivery delays. For example, the Volvo EX60 has a delivery delay of up to one year, due to high demand and production challenges at its manufacturing site.

Battery supply struggles hinder production

Battery supply has become a major constraint for manufacturers trying to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles. Stellantis, for instance, is facing challenges in ramping up production at its ACC plant in northern France, which supplies large-capacity batteries for new models.

Efforts to speed up battery production

To address the delays, some manufacturers are taking urgent steps to increase battery production. Mercedes, for example, has accelerated battery assembly at its Accumotive subsidiary, running on a 3×8 schedule for six days a week to meet the demand for its new electric models.