SUVs were Europe’s top-selling electric car body style in the first quarter of 2021, new data shows.
However, the midsize segment had the highest share of electric models at 17 percent due to strong demand for the Tesla Model 3, Europe’s best-selling electric car during the first three months.
Overall sales of electric cars climbed 55 percent to 197,157 during the quarter, according to data from JATO Dynamics.
Europe’s full-year EV sales are expected to top 1 million for the first time in 2021, according to analyst firm LMC Automotive.
The big Q1 gain for EVs came despite the closure of dealerships in key markets such as France and the UK because of the pandemic.
Electric cars accounted for 6.6 percent of total Q1 sales in the region, figures from industry association ACEA show.
A late-quarter spike in registrations for the Tesla Model 3 helped make it Europe’s No. 4-selling model overall in March, finishing behind the Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 208 and Opel/Vauxhall Corsa with sales of 23,507, according to JATO