Electric Vehicles

Tesla Model 3 leads Europe EV sales as electric and hybrid cars overtake diesel

Published by

The Driven

Tesla, Volkswagen and Renault led a landmark moment in the auto industry in Europe in September, when more electrified vehicles were sold than diesel-fuelled cars.

More than 300,000 auto sales in September were electrified, accounting for 25% of sales for the first time ever as diesel sales fell to 24.8%, down from half of all sales in 2010. Almost half of those electric sales were for plug in electric cars.

The new figures released by European auto industry analytics JATO show that the path to recovery for the auto industry – after a 29 per cent drop worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic – will be driven by battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) and non-pluggable hybrid vehicles (HEVs).

September sales saw a small  1.2% increase in car sales year-on-year in Europe, but more telling is the nosedive in diesel sales compared to a marked increase in electrified sales.

Source: JATO

Tesla sold 15,702 Model 3 electric sedans, gaining first place in the electric segment, as well as beating 15,093 hybrid Corolla sales by Toyota.

Tesla has long been a driver of EV sales in Europe, but it now has local players to contend with as it works to complete its Berlin gigafactory and begin its planned onslaught of Model Y crossovers.

To read the full version of this story, please go to our EV-focussed sister site, The Driven and click here…

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

Bridie Schmidt

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

Share
Published by

Recent Posts

If Australia is serious about 1.5°C, it needs to shut down coal by 2034 and install a lot more solar and batteries

If Australia got serious about climate and 1.5°C, what would it need to do on…

29 June 2026

Australian researchers test new tech to help smash the solar ceiling, bring PV to apartments

A UNSW pilot will test the ability of an artificial intelligence-powered energy system to help…

29 June 2026

Households are about to be offered 3 hours of free power. Who should sign up, and who should think twice?

This week marks the launch of federal Labor's Solar Sharer Offer. Here's how it will…

29 June 2026

Slimmed-down wind and battery project receives state planning approval, solar component dropped

World's biggest independent renewable developer gets state planning approval for a slimmed down wind and…

29 June 2026

Game changer for EVs? Australian battery pioneer lands $45m grant for silicon anode that boosts energy density

An Australian battery technology pioneer has landed a major government grant to start commercial production…

28 June 2026

“I didn’t notice:” Homeowners using solar, batteries and V2G to stay connected in blackouts

Could your electric car do more than just keep the lights on in an emergency?…

28 June 2026