If they increased in 2023, then at the beginning of 2024 sales of electric cars slow down.

Slow start to the year for electric cars

IONIQ in Hyundai, ID. at Volkswagen, EQ at Mercedes-Benz, E-Tech Electric at Renault, EV at Kia: In recent months, car manufacturers have been expanding their lineup of electric carss, thanks to European policies that encourage the transition to this technology with a goal ban the sale of thermal models in 2035. Last year in France, sales of this type of energy for the first time exceeded sales of diesel, which fell below the symbolic bar by only 10%! But while the electric car is supposed to embody the future of automotive mobility, at the beginning of the year, its sales worldwide fell. It is enough for manufacturers to plunge into uncertainty about them a little more. According to Rho Motion, which specializes in electric mobility and infrastructure research and statistics, it was sold 1.1 million electric and hybrid cars in the world in January 2024. A beautiful figure, which nevertheless hides a sharp drop compared to November and Decemberwhich exceeded 1.2 million and 1.4 million, respectively.

Several countries are showing their caution

China accounts for the majority of these sales, which have doubled in one yearthey grew by only 29% in Europe and 41% in North America from January 2023. So overall, the numbers remain encouraging, almost double the 650,000 cars sold in the same period a year earlier. But this, nevertheless, remains a new warning signal for manufacturers electrification is extremely expensive to develop, not always with the expected return. Therefore, it will be necessary to monitor the development of sales in the coming months. But the forecasts are disappointing. Germany, Europe’s biggest market, has particularly seen demand for electric cars plummet after the early end of a purchase bonus in December. And China, through its Minister of Information Technology and Industry, Xin Guobin, warned about this saturation of the market with electric cars is possible ; which could jeopardize the growth of local producers. The case should be continued, but it will in any case give food for thought to those who warn a forced step towards fully electric mobility.

The month of February, which is soon to end, will allow to establish an even more reliable trend in the beginning of 2024…