On January 2, 2024, it is time to take stock of sales of electric cars in France. If Tesla still dominates the top of the ranking with the Model Y and the Model 3, some unexpected models have managed to do well.
As the sales results recorded in November 2023 foreshadowed, this year was an excellent year for the automobile market in France. For good reason, if we are to believe the latest report published by the La Plateforme Automobile site on January 1, 2024, 1,774,729 new cars found buyers in France during the past year. This represents a significant increase of 16.1% compared to 2022, a year marked by global shortages of semiconductors and electronic chips.
Of course, the sector owes this renewed health mainly to sales of electric vehicles and hybrids. Concerning 100% wattage models, we are today at 16.8% market share compared to 13.3% last year. In other words, one in six new vehicles sold is electric today. The end of the year was also marked by a final jump in sales, motivated as one imagines by the end of the ecological bonus on certain models, such as the Model 3 or the Dacia Spring.
Tesla still in the lead, MG enters
But precisely, what were the electric models most popular with the French in 2023? Unsurprisingly, Tesla still occupies 1st place with the Model Y. Indeed, the electric SUV accounted for a total of 37,127 registrations. It alone represents 12.4% of the French electric market. Logically, the Model Y should continue this momentum in 2024, the SUV is still eligible for the new ecological bonus (its production being located at the Berlin Gigafactory) unlike the Model 3.
On the second step of the podium, we find the one that was the cheapest electric car in France in 2021: the Dacia Spring. With 29,761 sales in total, the low-cost electric SUV ended the year in style, once again benefiting from the loss of its ecological bonus this December 15, 2023. The bronze medal then goes to the Tesla Model 3. The electric sedan, which as a reminder made its return in a restyled version in November 2023, sold 24,539 copies.
Note the surprise arrival in this TOP 10 of the MG4. The city car from the Chinese manufacturer, which also lost its purchase bonus, attracted motorists with its affordable entry ticket, set at 29,990 euros. Furthermore, the compact has also attracted more modest households, via its social leasing offer at 100 euros per month. It actually finds itself in 6th place in the ranking just behind the Fiat 500e and the Peugeot e-208, two models from the Stellantis group.
The TOP 10 best-selling electric cars in 2023
Without further ado, here is the TOP 10 best-selling electric models in France in 2023:
- Tesla Model Y : 37,127 copies
- Dacia Spring : 29,761 copies
- Tesla Model 3 : 24,539 copies
- Fiat 500e : 23,189 copies
- Peugeot e-208 : 22,698 copies
- MG4 : 20,072 copies
- Renault Megane E-Tech : 17,623 copies
- Electric Renault Twingo : 8,503 copies
- Mini electric : 7,634 copies
- Renault Zoe : 5,990 copies
As a reminder, buying an electric car should cost more in 2024. In fact, the amount of the ecological bonus for the wealthiest households should be revised downwards, from 5,000 euros to 4,000 euros per car. The bonus of 7,000 euros, granted to households with the lowest incomes, should be maintained. On the other hand, this should not be the case for the aid of 1,000 euros granted for the purchase of a used electric car.