Sales of electric cars in Europe overtook diesel models for the first time in December, preliminary estimates have shown, as drivers continued to choose subsidised emissions-free vehicles over those reliant on a fuel that was tarnished by the 2015 Volkswagen emissions scandal.
More than a fifth of new cars sold across 18 European markets, including the UK, were powered by batteries, according to data compiled for the Financial Times by independent auto analyst Matthias Schmidt, while diesel cars accounted for less than 19 per cent of sales.
Thanks to generous government subsidies in Germany and elsewhere, as well as strict regulations introduced in 2020 that force EU manufacturers to sell more low-emissions vehicles, electric sales have been rising steadily.