European BEV sales stagnate since 2023
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European BEV sales stagnate since 2023
- While BEV sales in China continue to grow in the first half of 2024, rising from 20% of the market in January to 23% in March, 24% in April and 26% in May (versus 24% for the whole of 2023), BEV sales in Europe have tended to stagnate since 2023 and even decline in the first half of 2024, with 12% of the market in January, 13% in February, 14% in March, 13.5% in April and 14% in May (versus 16% for the whole of 2023). Over the 5-months in 2024, the average market share stands at 22.7% in China versus 22.4% for the first 5 months of 2023, and 13.4% in Europe versus 13.8% for the first 5 months of 2023, demonstrating that growth continues in China but has come to a halt in Europe.
- Even if China's BEV sales continue to grow in 2024, there's no denying that BEV sales growth in this country is slowing sharply compared with previous years, as if reaching a plateau. In large Europe (EU + UK + Switzerland + Norway), growth has come to a halt. The question is whether or not the forthcoming arrival of battery electric models priced under 30,000 euros will revive the European BEV market.
- In the USA, BEV sales grew very modestly in the first half of 2024, with an average market share of 7.5% over 5 months in 2024, compared with 7.3% over 5 months in 2023. Over the full year 2023, this share was 7.7%. Japan remains reluctant to buy BEVs, with sales of this type of model down in the first half of 2024 (1.5% market share over the first 5 months of 2024 versus 2.3% over the first 5 months of 2023).
With the Inster, Hyundai attacks the electric market by the bottom
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With the Inster, Hyundai attacks the electric market by the bottom
- Korean carmaker Hyundai has unveiled its new battery electric A-segment model, the Inster EV, which aims to enable a wider customer base to switch to this type of powertrain, thanks to lower prices than those charged by most carmakers today. The new model is derived from the A-segment Casper gasoline model sold in South Korea since 2021. It is, however, 20 cm longer (3.82 m), just as wide (1.61 m) and just as high (1.58 m), placing it between the dimensions of a Dacia Spring (3.73 m) and a Citroën e-C3 (4.01 m). The Hyundai Casper, Inster EV and i10 share the same platform, named internally as K1.
- In the Hyundai range, the Inster EV is positioned below the Kona EV (B segment). For the time being, it has no Kia counterpart, as the EV3 is larger than the Inster EV (measuring 4.30 m in length) and belongs to the B segment.
- The Hyundai Inster EV is powered by a choice of 96 hp (71 kW) or 113 hp (83 kW) electric motor, combined with a 42 kWh or 49 kWh battery providing a range of 290 km or 354 km, depending on the battery type and according to the WLTP cycle.
- Priced at 22,000/25,000 euros for the European market, the new Hyundai Inster EV targets the Dacia Spring and Citroën e-C3, as well as the new electric version of the Fiat Grande Panda. Given that 3,000 Kona electrics are sold every month in Europe, Inovev is counting on 1,500 to 2,000 monthly sales of the Inster EV, i.e. 18,000 to 24,000 units a year, all imported from South Korea.
Stellantis announces that they could close Ellesmere Port plant
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Stellantis announces that they could close Ellesmere Port plant
- The Stellantis Group has announced that it could close its Ellesmere Port plant in the UK, which has been producing Citroën e-Berlingo, Fiat e-Doblo, Opel e-Combo and Peugeot e-Partner battery electric vans since 2023.
- According to the carmaker, BEV sales remain too low on the European market for this plant to operate at full capacity and become profitable. Inovevestimates that the plant has produced 21,479 vehicles by 2023. At the current rate of BEV sales in the first quarter of 2024, the production volume for 2024 (6,592 units produced over 4 months) could be lower than in 2023, and not reach 20,000 units for the full year.
- The Stellantis Group expects the British government to be willing to develop BEV sales through tax incentives to meet the "ZEV mandate" proposed by the government.
- The "ZEV Mandate" for zero-emission vehicles came into force in the UK on January 1, 2024. Here's what it entails: carmakers will have to produce more new zero-emission cars and vans every year so that by 2035, all new cars and vans sold in Britain will be battery electric vehicles. These regulations are backed by a government investment of over £2 billion to develop a network of charging infrastructure and encourage the uptake of zero-emission vehicles. The ZEV mandate is part of the UK government's low-carbon strategy to reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions.
With the EV3, Kia continues to develop its battery electric vehicles range
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With the EV3, Kia continues to develop its battery electric vehicles range
- Korean carmaker Kia (part of the Hyundai-Kia group) is gradually building up its range of battery electric vehicles based on the e-GMP platform shared by Hyundai, Kia and Genesis. After the Ray, an A-segment EV small MPV, still in production, the B-segment Soul electric SUV, the C-segment Niro electric SUV, the D-segment EV6 sedan and the E-segment EV9 SUV, Kia is launching the EV3 to replace the electric Soul. The new Kia EV3 takes up the styling of the larger Kia EV9 SUV, but on a smaller scale, measuring just 4.30 m in length - 10 cm longer than the Soul. Contrary to its appearance, which suggests otherwise, the EV3 boasts a particularly low Cx of 0.263.
- The new Kia EV3 is powered by a 204 hp (150 kW) electric motor powered by a 58.3 kWh or 81.4 kWh battery pack, giving a range of 500 km or 600 km respectively according to the WLTP cycle. The EV3, which is 12 cm shorter than the electric Niro, manages to outperform the Niro in terms of range, thanks to its new-generation batteries. The Niro's range does not exceed 460 km. Even the EV6 doesn't reach 600 km.
- If we look at the competition, the Renault Megane E-Tech, 10 cm shorter than the EV3, has a range of 470 km according to the WLTP cycle, and the Renault Scenic E-Tech, 17 cm longer, can reach 625 km according to the WLTP cycle.
- It remains to be seen how much the EV3 will cost, which will help assess its sales potential in South Korea and Europe, as the model is not due to be marketed in either China or the USA.
Smart adds to its range a 4.70 m long SUV
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Smart adds to its range a 4.70 m long SUV
- The Smart brand (a Mercedes subsidiary) is rebuilding its battery electric range with the help of China's Geely. Since 2023, we've seen the launch of the 4.27 m-long #1 (B-segment SUV) and the 4.40 m-long #3 (C-segment SUV), followed by the discontinuation of the Fortwo (A-segment sedan) in April 2024, which put an end to the 2.50 m to 2.70 m-long A-segment minicars in Europe. The Smart brand therefore chose to abandon the A segment (given the numbering of its models) and concentrate on the B and C segments.
- Today, the Smart brand wants to go further upmarket, unveiling a 4.70 m long D-segment SUV named the #5, again with an electric engine. Like the #1 and #3, this large SUV is produced in China, using the same SEA platform. The Smart #5 is available in four versions, two with 340 hp / 363 hp rear-wheel drive (RWD) and two with 587 hp / 646 hp all-wheel drive (AWD). The unladen weight of all versions will exceed 2 tones.
- The carmaker claims a range of 700 km in the Chinese CLTC cycle, equivalent to just over 600 km in the European WLTP cycle. Rear-wheel-drive versions are equipped with lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, while all-wheel-drive versions feature nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) technology. Although their capacity is not yet official, the biggest is expected to be equipped with 100 kWh battery pack.
- The Smart #5 will be available on the European market in 2025, even with the handicap of the additional taxes announced by the European Commission. Sales figures for the new Smart "made in China" remain mixed, with 8,000 sales in Europe in the first five months of 2024 (including 6,000 #1 and 2,000 #3), compared with 8,600 Fortwo sales in the first five months of 2023. In China, the start of the Smart's career seems equally timid, with sales not exceeding 15,300 units in the first five months of 2024, representing 0.7% of the BEV market in China over the period.