Afrigather EU car sales fell to a original low final year as the auto sector modified into as soon as hobbled by the Covid-19 pandemic and an absence of computer chips, alternate figures confirmed Tuesday.
Registrations of original passenger automobiles within the EU slid by 2.4% in 2021, to 9.7 million automobiles, the worst efficiency since statistics began in 1990, essentially based mostly mostly on data from the European Car Manufacturers Affiliation (ACEA).
That follows the historic fall of nearly 24% suffered in 2020 due to the pandemic restrictions, and introduced original car registrations within the EU to three.3 million below the pre-crisis sales of 2019.
The lack of semiconductors, the computer chips vulnerable in a huge number of car programs in both primitive and electric automobiles, modified into as soon as the major motive maintaining the alternate encourage.
“This fall modified into as soon as the final result of the semiconductor shortage that negatively impacted car manufacturing throughout the year, but particularly throughout the 2d half of of 2021,” acknowledged the ACEA.
Car producers before every little thing downplayed the impact of the chip shortage, but it at final led them to unhurried manufacturing and even idle factories.
EU car sales did rebound strongly within the 2d quarter, but for most of the 2d half of they had been down by around 20 p.c.
The non permanent views for provides are no longer upright.
“The launch of 2022 will calm be basic by formula of provides of chips,” Alexandre Marian on the AlixPartners consultancy urged AFP.
“The obtain 22 situation would possibly presumably well additionally unbiased calm purple meat up within the heart of the year, but that does no longer mean diversified complications would possibly presumably well additionally no longer cut up, relating to raw materials, present chains and labour shortages,” he acknowledged.
The chip shortage is a final result of the pandemic as producers had been disrupted by lockdowns and in sad health employees, besides to present chain complications and increased global search data from for electronics.
The pandemic has also sent prices for many raw materials hovering and prompted labour shortages in some areas.
Germany caught in reverse
If the markets in France, Italy and Spain posted modest gains, a 10.1% plunge in Germany dragged down the general EU figure.
Germany is by some distance Europe’s largest car market, accounting for a quarter of total sales at over 2.6 million final year.
If the dearth of semiconductors modified into as soon as the major ingredient maintaining encourage a rebound, the EU also underperformed when compared with the diversified major markets where the restoration from the pandemic modified into as soon as stronger.
The Chinese language car market grew by 4.4% and the US market by 3.7%.
The decline in European sales would possibly presumably well also replicate “the spicy expand within the frequent trace of automobiles besides to an expectant perspective by buyers relating to electric automobiles which is pushing them to position off purchases and defend on to their fresh car longer,” acknowledged analysts at Inovev, an automotive data analytics firm.
Renault hits sales pothole
Europe’s high three auto producers all saw a plunge in sales within the bloc.
Volkswagen managed to defend the tip space, but a 4.8% plunge in sales to 1.4 million automobiles prompted its market portion to dip to 25.1%.
Stellantis, which modified into as soon as fashioned from the merger of Italy’s Fiat neighborhood and France’s Peugeot-Citroen, suffered a smaller 2.1-p.c plunge to 2.1 million units, nudging its market portion greater to 21.9 p.c.
Renault neighborhood suffered a 10-p.c plunge, with sales of its eponymous tag tumbling by 16 p.c, while sales of both its low-value Dacia tag and sporty Alpine brands rose.
The French automotive neighborhood saw its market portion slim to 10.6 p.c.
Germany’s BMW managed a 1.5% expand in registrations, but Daimler – the proprietor of the Mercedes and Dapper brands – suffered a 12.4% plunge.
Korea’s Hyundai Team – which involves both the Hyundai and Kia brands – solidified its role as the number-four carmaker within the EU with an 18.4% manufacture to over 828 000 automobiles.
Its market portion rose to 8.5%.
The details, that are supplied by ACEA members, end no longer comprise sales by US electric car producer Tesla.
The ACEA data also did now not comprise a breakdown by petrol, diesel and electric automobiles, that are supplied in a separate quarterly document.
Renault
ACEA
