These results come from a market study conducted by Schmidt Automotive Research in 18 countries of the European Union. As we know, by 2035 the European Union will have completely banned the sale of combustion engine cars on its territory. In the meantime, many measures have already been taken to initiate this transition and promote the sale of electrified vehicles. During this time, the cars traditional gasoline-powered and especially diesel-powered ones are increasingly relegated to the background.
The market share of cars fuel oil has of course collapsed as a result. On the European market, diesels still represented 53% of sales in 2015, while in June 2022 they only represented 20%, according to figures from Schmidt Automotive Research. In the same period, sales of 100% electric cars increased from 0.5% to 12.3% of market volume, remaining significantly lower than those of diesels. However, this is the lowest score in recent months for electric vehicleswhich still reached 20% in December, ahead of diesels.
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Fleas, Covid, War
So what happened in the meantime? This decline in sales of electric cars in Europe can be explained by several factors. First of all, there is the shortage of chips which, for some time, has limited the production capacities of theautomobile industry and therefore delays deliveries of new cars in European countries. In addition, the health crisis has once again caused the temporary closure of several car factories in China, including that of Tesla. Finally, the war in Ukraine also led to a shortage of wire harnesses.
But when these issues are resolved, sales of electric cars will quickly reach 14% according to forecasts. If the situation returns to normal, a significant catch-up in deliveries of zero emission vehicles could follow in the second half. Volkswagen, for example, still has over 300,000 electric cars on order, which have yet to be produced and delivered.
The question of whether all this will work this year! After all, the conflict in Ukraine seems to be dragging on and the recent tensions in Taiwan could cause new problems, since that is where a large part of the chips for our cars.
The advantages of diesel
Thus, this situation benefits the maligned diesel models, with sales peaking at 20.3% in the European market in June 2022. According to the research office Schmidt Automotive Research, this recovery is partly artificial due to the situation on the market. German, where rental companies are again offering more diesel cars.
It should be noted that also on the Belgian market, the diesel cars still accounted for an 18% share in the first half of 2022, while EVs held steady at 8.8%. In addition, drivers of diesel vehicles can still count on a certain number of important assets: good level performance and an excellent driving experience, combined with favorable fuel consumption in real conditions, and a very long range.
In summary, at present, a diesel car remains beneficial to those who wish to travel many kilometers without worry.