The average weight of passenger cars in Europe remained stable from 2011 to 2019
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The average weight of passenger cars in Europe remained stable from 2011 to 2019
Inovev has finalised a comprehensive study on the features of vehicles produced and sold in Europe (masses, dimensions and cylinder capacities). For more information, please click here. Elements of this study are presented here in this Auto Analysis.
The average weight of passenger cars produced in Europe experienced three very distinct periods between 2000 and 2023 (1/2)
- Period 1 (2000-2011)
Weight increased significantly and continuously from 2000 to 2011, going from 1180 to 1380 kg (+200 kg, +17%), although with a sharp drop in 2019, linked to the Financial and Economic crisis of 2008. In 2009, consumers tended to purchase smaller vehicles, a trend that was reinforced by government incentives.
Weight increased significantly and continuously from 2000 to 2011, going from 1180 to 1380 kg (+200 kg, +17%), although with a sharp drop in 2019, linked to the Financial and Economic crisis of 2008. In 2009, consumers tended to purchase smaller vehicles, a trend that was reinforced by government incentives.
- Period 2 (2012-2019)
Between 2012 and 2019, the average weight of cars stabilized around 1,380 kilos. This stabilization is contradictory. Indeed, it was during this period that SUVs developed significantly, reaching 37% of vehicles produced in Europe in 2019. However, the average weight of an SUV is greater than the average weight of a sedan of the same segment. On the other hand, during this same period, for each model renewal, the new model is in most cases heavier than the replaced model. The explanation for this stabilization of the average mass, despite the development of heavier vehicles, is the result of:
Between 2012 and 2019, the average weight of cars stabilized around 1,380 kilos. This stabilization is contradictory. Indeed, it was during this period that SUVs developed significantly, reaching 37% of vehicles produced in Europe in 2019. However, the average weight of an SUV is greater than the average weight of a sedan of the same segment. On the other hand, during this same period, for each model renewal, the new model is in most cases heavier than the replaced model. The explanation for this stabilization of the average mass, despite the development of heavier vehicles, is the result of:
§ A change of mix. This status could be confirmed by calculating the contribution of each “segment-body” (example “C-SUV”) to the average vehicle mass. This calculation is presented through the graph on the right below.
§ The significant effort made by carmakers to reduce the weight of vehicles (see for example the Inovev analysis concerning the engine capacity).
- Period 3 (since 2020): see the following analysis “The average weight of passenger cars in Europe has increased significantly since 2020”.
Honda stops the production of the Honda E
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Honda stops the production of the Honda E
- Japanese carmakers waited a long time before deciding to launch battery electric vehicles (BEVs), in particular because in Japan, sales of BEVs remained very low, while the market leader in this country – the group Toyota – which occupies half of the market there – has focused more on selling hybrid vehicles (FHEV) instead of selling BEVs. But Japan, like any other country in the world, must take into consideration the fact that it must reduce its share of CO2 in the global balance and that oil resources will not be eternal.
- Toyota therefore decided late to launch into battery electric and announced a few months ago a program to launch new vehicles equipped with this type of engine. The first model from this new family, the BZ4X SUV, was launched recently, with a slow development.
- Honda had previously launched the E city car (it was in 2020) but without success not only in Japan but also in Europe. In Europe, the Honda E went from 3,748 sales in 2020 to 3,315 in 2021, 2,001 in 2022 and 576 in 2023. In total, less than 10,000 units have found a buyer in four years. In Japan, it's even worse: 427 sales in 2020, 721 in 2021, 371 in 2022 and 260 in 2023. In Europe, its price of 41,000 euros was undoubtedly a break when its main competitor the Mini E is priced at 37 400 euros.
- As a result, Honda is stopping the production of the E city car at the end of the year. Its hopes now are on its E:NY1 SUV, but its sales may being handicapped by a price higher than 47,500 euros.
The Togg brand took a third of the Turkish BEV market in 2023
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The Togg brand took a third of the Turkish BEV market in 2023
- The Turkish brand Togg, which produces and markets its battery electric C-segment SUV, named T10X on the local market, sold 13,572 units of this model over the first 11 months of 2023, which predicts a volume of 15,000 units over the whole year. This volume exceeds the most optimistic forecasts (no one having really believed in the viability of a Turkish national brand) and confirms the successful establishment of a brand new brand in its local country while electric vehicles were not really needed here by Turkish customers.
- Today, the Togg brand is focused on its national market and is therefore not a competitor to European brands. But the Turkish carmaker plans to market its models in the European Union from 2024. At the same time, Turkey decided to protect its market (and at the same time its Togg brand) by announcing the implementation of strict measures regarding imports of battery electric vehicles from China.
- Turkey is thus taking inspiration from the measures introduced in France from December 15, 2023. The details of these measures applied in Turkey are, however, not yet known.
- It should be remembered that Chinese cars already represent 6% of the Turkish market in 2023 (50,000 units at the end of November), half of which are electric. For comparison, Togg's market share in Turkey reaches 1.6%, or a third of the Turkish BEV market in 2023, with BEVs representing 4.9% of the Turkish market in 2023.
Citroën markets again the Berlingo with a thermal engine
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Citroën markets again the Berlingo with a thermal engine
- In 2022, Citroën decided to suddenly stop sales of the gasoline and diesel versions of its Berlingo MPV (the Berlingo MPV is the “passenger transport” variant of the Berlingo light utility vehicle) to redirect its customers towards the battery electric version, but this customer base very little appreciated this decision.
- From the beginning of 2023, sales in Europe of the model available only in the battery electric version gradually collapsed, in particular due to a price which no longer had anything to do with the petrol and diesel versions previously offered. These sales decreased from 2,000 units in March 2023 to 1,400 in May 2023, then 900 in June 2023, 700 in September 2023 and 300 in November 2023.
- This phenomenon is known as the "Smart effect" because when Smart decided to sell only its battery electric models (Smart Fortwo and Forfour) after removing its gasoline and diesel models, the brand's sales collapsed by 80%. These models were definitively discontinued and the Smart range reorganised around significantly larger vehicles (Smart #1 and Smart #3). Citroën's strategy regarding its "passenger transport" Berlingos had the same effect: a collapse in sales of these models.
- Today, the carmaker observes the disaster and has decided to put back on the market its Berlingo MPVs with a thermal engine, as is already the case for the Berlingo“LUV” version. It is obvious that the combustion engine versions represented the vast majority of sales of Berlingo MPVs until 2022. The Peugeot Rifter and Opel Combo twins should logically follow the same path.
GM's impossible return to the European market
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GM's impossible return to the European market
- The GM group was in its time the largest global carmaker until the early 2000s. It remained the leading American carmaker (the largest of the “Big Three”) but had to give up on the European market towards the end of the 2010s, when its Opel/Vauxhall subsidiary purchased in 1929 was sold to the French group PSA in 2017. The Chrysler group (the smallest of the “Big Three”) had already proceeded in the same way with the sale to PSA of its European subsidiaries since 1978, to then relaunch the brand Talbot in 1979.
- After 2017, the GM group maintained a symbolic presence in Europe with the Chevrolet Camaro and Corvette sports models, but at a confidential volume (200 sales per year).
- In 2023, the management of the GM group plans to return to Europe with completely new products. The old Chevrolets that came from Korea in the early 2000s did not leave good memories, GM management is now banking on Cadillac for its new offensive on the European market.
- Two factors played in favor of this decision: on one side, the perspective of a zero emission European market in 2035 and on the other side, the development of new American brands in Europe, such as Fisker, Lucid, Rivianand Tesla, which alone will capture a market share of nearly 3% in 2023. The GM group believes that its new battery electric models, and in particular those of the Cadillac brand, could find their customers in Europe thanks to their Premium image. However, the challenge seems extremely difficult because the Cadillac brand still has an outdated image in Europe.