Does electric mean good business for automanufacturers? The increase in new electric vehicle registrations observed in 2020 has continued in the first semester of 2021 (+60%). Manufacturers’ offers have expanded and the arrival of new distributors has increased. A phenomenon that has resulted in some changes shaking up the electrified automotive landscape.
The “French” electric cars well ranked
If the Renault Zoe has been surfing at the top of the electric car market since 2012, it is now in second place, pushed aside by the Tesla Model 3! Interesting, especially since these two cars do not compete in the same category … (13,084 vehicles for the American car against 10,797 vehicles for the French one. The Tesla Model 3 is in the lead with 142,346 units against 37,154 for the Renault Zoe, worldwide). As for the French podium, it is completed by two other French cars, the Renault Twingo E-Tech electric (4,424 units and the Peugeot e-2008 (2,771 units).
This situation is set to become even more pronounced with the arrival on the market of unique solutions such as the Dacia Spring and the Hyndai Ioniq 5, each of which will breathe new life into electromobility, in its own field. A trend that presages an electrifying future for electric vehicle sales. From 2024 onwards, a large number of car manufacturers are planning multiple launches of electrified models. An initiative that anticipates the political measures of the Fit for 55 plan (1). A plan that would ban internal combustion engines and hybrid engines in 2035.
And everything will happen very fast… The Stellantis Group (Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel, Fiat-Chrysler) has announced that it will abandon combustion engines and focus on the electrification of its models and technologies by 2025. By 2024, the DS brand will no longer offer combustion engines. Only an electrified range. The group wants to market 55 electrified cars in Europe and the United States before 2025.
Earning its place
On the Wolfburg side, Volkswagen says that by 2033, 50% of vehicles will be electric. 100 % in 2040. From 2025, the brand with the star, Mercedes, will offer models with an architecture designed for 100% electric models. In Munich, BMW wants to produce up to 7 million 100% electric cars. It is almost done for the Mini range…
In France, Renault aims to have 65% of its electrified vehicles within three years and 90% by 2030. What about the Swedish Volvo and its division Polestar? They will produce 100% electric vehicles. Audi, the German manufacturer, plans to have 100% electric vehicles by 2033. If, like the Olympic motto, the most important thing is to participate, from 2024 onwards, it will be necessary to do better to earn its place in the sales charts of 100% electric cars.
Pierre-Jean Côme
(Source: Cabinet Inovev)
(1) “Fit for 55” is a legislative package in reference to the EU’s goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 55% by 2030. It is an intermediate step, before aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. This means becoming more restrictive on the carbon market. In terms of automobiles, this means reviewing CO2 emission standards for new vehicles. Emission permits could be reduced to zero by 2035. This would lead to a ban on the market of combustion engine vehicles and the obligation to switch to electric vehicles. In France, the end of gasoline car sales is currently set for 2040.
