Sales of new vehicles continue to drop drastically in Europe, with -6% for the month of January. The worst month since the start of the statistical series in 1990.
The figures from the ACEA (Association of European Automobile Manufacturers) have just fallen, and show that sales of new vehicles are still at half mast on the Old Continent at the start of 2022. With 682,596 vehicles sold in the European Union, automakers had their worst January since the statistical series began in 1990. ACEA said sales were down 6% from January 2021, an already historic low month.
Almost all European markets have recorded a double-digit drop compared to January 2021: -18.6% for France, -19.7% for Italy, -10% for Belgium, -11.3% for the Netherlands and -10.2% for Poland. Only Germany is doing better, with a rebound of 8.5% compared to January 2021, which was very weak. Outside the EU, the United Kingdom also recorded a strong rebound with 27.5% more, after months of decline.
The shortage of chips in question
This situation is partly explained by the Covid-19 pandemic, but especially by the shortage of semiconductors that has affected Europe, the United States and China since the spring of 2021. All manufacturers are affected, and some more than others. This is particularly the case with VW, which cannot properly deliver its electric ID.3 and has reduced the range to a single version. Customers who wish to buy a vehicle therefore turn to the second-hand market, driving up the prices of recent vehicles.
Photo: Dacia.
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