Tesla's growth in Europe is frightening. If you look at European electric car sales in 2021, the Tesla Model 3 ranks first with a total sales volume of 14,868 units. This represents a 64% increase compared to 85,979 units in 2020. It sold almost twice as many Volkswagen ID.3s (72,723 units).
However, the Model 3 is not only breaking into the European market in the electric vehicle category. Looking at the entire market, including engine models, only 16 models sell more than the Model 3. Considering that nearly 400 cars are competing for sales, the 17th place that electric vehicles have won is very strong.
So how has Tesla performed in the European market this year?
It didn't look good at first. There were almost no sales in January. But in February, sales started again. The Model 3 sold more than 9,000 units in Europe in February, ranking 22nd. Another highly anticipated Tesla product, the Model Y, also appeared on the charts. In February alone, nearly 7,000 units (6,803 units) were sold and climbed to 35th place.
In March, Tesla became popular in Europe with its Model 3 and Model Y. According to zato Dynamics, a car market analysis agency, Tesla ranked first in March sales among 27 European countries, with a total sales of 23,013 vehicles, which is not only the result of electric vehicles, but also the results of all models.
Top 10 european car sales in March (including fuel vehicles, source: JATO Dynamics)
1st place: Tesla Model 3 (23,013 units)
2nd place: Peugeot 208 (21,026 units)
3rd place: Tesla Model Y (18,968 units)
4th place: Volkswagen Golf (16,784 vehicles)
5th place: Dacia Sandero (16,778 units)
6th place: Citroen C3 (16,697 units)
7th place: Fiat 500 (16,120 vehicles)
8th place: Ford Puma (15,937 units)
9th place: Toyota Yaris (15,937 units)
10th place: Opel Corsa (15,824 units)
The most impressive is the sales of the Model Y. With 18,968 units sold in March alone, it ranks third in overall sales rankings behind the Peugeot 208. In Europe, where small car sales are high, it is not common for mid-range and expensive electric vehicles like Tesla to sell more highly.
Top 10 EV sales in Europe in March (Source: JATO Dynamics)
1st place: Tesla Model 3 (23,013 units)
2nd place: Tesla Model Y (18,968 units)
3rd place: Fiat 500 (6579 units)
4th place: Kia e-Niro (5217 units)
5th place: Volkswagen ID.4 (5009 units)
6th place: Peugeot 208-e (4201 units)
7th place: Hyundai Kona EV (4064 units)
8th place: Renault Zoe (4054 units)
9th place: Dacia Spring (3989 units)
10th place: BMW i3 (3768 units)
If you look at the best-selling electric cars, there aren't more than 10,000 other than the Model 3 and Model Y. In other words, it means that sales of Tesla models are overwhelming. In August last year, sales of electric vehicles (including plug-in hybrids) surpassed those of diesel vehicles, and electric vehicles were fully implemented in Europe.
In the European market, there are not many models that have enough strength to compete with Tesla, because Europe is not like China, which has new companies. So only Audi's Q4 e-tron and Volvo's Polestar's Polestar 2 can compete. In addition, mass-produced brands include the much-anticipated Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4, as well as Hyundai's Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, which have received a lot of praise but are still inferior to Tesla in terms of sales!
With the construction of the main production plant of model Y in Germany, it has become more and more powerful, and has even begun to threaten the position of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi. And European automakers now seem to be able to watch the high-end pure electric vehicle market being cannibalized by Tesla.