New car sales in Europe rebounded by 13.9 percent in 2023 as electric vehicles overtook diesel for the first time, an industry group said on Thursday.
Sales of new electric cars shot up by 37 percent year-on-year and accounted for 14.6 percent of overall sales, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said.
Elon Musk’s Tesla saw sales of its electric cars nearly double in the region last year to 279,000, with its SUV Model Y taking the crown of the top-selling vehicle in Europe.
The figures marked a stark turnabout from 2022, when new vehicle registrations dropped to their lowest levels since 1993 as component shortages hindered automakers.
