Hybrids top petrol power for first time in EU new car sales, ACEA says
(Reuters) -Hybrids overtook petrol-powered vehicles in EU new car sales for the first time in September, industry data showed on Tuesday, accounting for 32.8% of the total, data from Europe’s auto industry body showed. Total car sales in the bloc dropped by 6.1% year-on-year, falling for two months in a row for the first time since July 2022, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on Tuesday, as major markets Germany, France and Italy continued to stagnate. Fully electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) car sales have instead slowed this year, in part due to diverging policies on green incentives among European countries, while regulators have imposed hefty tariffs to try to keep out cheap Chinese EVs.