Global demand for electric cars soared in 2021, with the worldwide EV market doubling from 3.1% to 6%, according to new data from industry analyst Jato Dynamics.
In the UK EV sales surged to a record high last year, with more than one in nine cars sold being fully electric. In total more than 190,000 electric cars were sold in the UK, with buyers snapping up more EVs than they had in the previous five years combined.
Jato says that global EV sales have dramatically increased as a result of the semiconductor chip shortage, which has forced manufacturers to prioritise its most popular models, leading to a decline in petrol and diesel sales.
They added that EV’s had grown in popularity within the European and Chinese markets while some traction had been gained in North America, with a total of 4.2 million electric car sales worldwide.
China was the major driver for growth accounting for half of the global demand, thanks to a sustained local demand and focus on popular models.
In Europe, growth has been driven by manufacturers such as VW Group, Stellantis and Tesla. Jato also stated that Government incentives had played a crucial role in the uptake of EVs, while expanded offerings from car makers presented EVs as a serious alternative to petrol and diesel cars.
North America has made progress in the EV market but was lagging behind due to consumer demand for SUVs and trucks. Jato says the emergence of Tesla has helped with the shift to electric vehicles.
Jato added that the arrival of the Model 3 in North America, Europe and China has allowed the car maker to become the ‘leading BEV manufacturer’.
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