Motoring

Europe car sales drop in March as EV weakness persists

New-vehicle registrations dropped by 2.8 per cent to 1.38 million units last month

Passenger-car sales in Europe fell 2.8 per cent in March. Picture: iStockphoto

Passenger-car sales in Europe fell 2.8 per cent in March as automakers including Volkswagen AG and Stellantis NV faced weaker demand, particularly for electric vehicles.

New-vehicle registrations dropped to 1.38 million units last month, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said on Thursday. Sales of battery-powered cars fell 11 per cent as demand in Germany, Sweden and Norway cooled.

The decline, due in part to the timing of Easter, is the second in four months and ...