the world number 2 finally arrives

The French automotive market picked up in May with sales up 15% compared to last year. Electric cars are also meeting with growing success, driven by the Tesla Model Y, which continues to be a hit. But a Chinese manufacturer still unknown a few months ago, made its official arrival in France. It is the world’s number 2 electric car, BYD.

If the Covid-19 crisis is behind us, it has still left a lot of traces, especially on the automotive market. In particular, the shortage of semiconductors caused by the closure of factories, which has caused production delays and helped drive down sales. But now these are starting to rise again, as the cabinet points out. AAA Data.

In fact, the registrations were up 15% last May compared to the same period in 2022. A less significant increase than the 22% recorded in April, but still positive. Especially since this month counted two working days less. In total, 145,536 cars were therefore sold in France, a figure driven by the success of electric models.

Tesla still on top

Indeed, the firm specializing in the automotive industry underlines the incredible leap forward of this engine, whose sales increased by 49% in May. No less than 22,666 zero-emission vehicles (exhaust) found a buyer, allowing this engine to reach 16% market share. We remember that last December, it even exceeded the diesel in terms of registrations.

Unsurprisingly, it is once again Tesla that is contributing to the success of electric cars. After becoming the best-selling model in the world in the 1st quarter, the Model Y is also at the top of the French ranking. And this for the month of May, but also since the beginning of the year. The electric SUV was indeed sold at 13,405 units since January and 2,708 copies found takers in May.

A real success for the star of the brand, which also confirmed its place as the best-selling car in Europe. And all engines combined. The manufacturer is now preparing the arrival of the Tesla Roadster, which has however been postponed again.

In the ranking since the beginning of the year, it is the Dacia Spring which comes in 2nd position, with no less than 12,593 copies sold. The city car, which recently enriched its range with a new, more powerful Extreme version, is followed by the Peugeot e-208, which could soon be manufactured in Europe. In total, 10,161 units were sold since January in France.

The Chinese invasion

The ranking for the month of May is a little different, because it is the Fiat 500e which is placed in 2nd position with 2,601 units. Logical, since the manufacturer recently launched an offer allowing all customers to benefit from the maximum ecological bonus of 7,000 euros, without income conditions. For its part, the Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric is left behind and finds itself in 6th position, with 1,467 registrations in May.

It is still ahead of the Model 3, which is lower in the ranking. In question, a production in China and exports which are done according to the boats from Shanghai, which explains the arrivals in sawtooth. Because the electric sedan is selling well, with 1,111 units sold in May and 4,658 since the beginning of the year. A success that we also undoubtedly owe to its big price drop, making it eligible for the ecological bonus.

We also note that Chinese manufacturers are accelerating their development, while the country is now the largest exporter in the world. The BYD Atto 3, present at the last Mondial de Paris finally arrives in the ranking, with 66 copies sold since the beginning of the year in France. Registrations that were made during the month of May. It is followed by the Aiways U5 (62 units). Lower still, we find the BYD Tang (2 copies) and the BYD HAN EV, which has found only one buyer since the beginning of the year, surely the show model of the Parisian concessions.

On the other hand, the MG4 is still a hit, since it comes in 6th position in the ranking from January to May with 5,062 copies. Last month, no less than 1,593 registrations were recorded for the compact, which should soon be available as a station wagon. It will be a reworked version of the MG5, which has sold 459 units since the start of the year.

Ranking May 2023

Ranking from January to May 2023

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