ACEA reports a 29% increase in alternative fuel vehicle registrations

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) reports that in the first quarter of 2015, registrations of alternative fuel vehicles (AFV) in the European Union rose 28.8% compared to the same period last year, with 144,421 alternative fuel vehicles registered. AFVs include electric vehicles, hybrids, and propane- and natural gas-powered cars.

Electric vehicles (EVs) saw the most growth. The number of EVs more than doubled, from 11,304 to 24,630 units. During the same period, hybrid cars increased by 21.4% and propane- and natural gas-powered cars grew by 16.5%.

The largest increase in AFV registrations was in the United Kingdom (64.2%), followed by France (33.9%), Italy (18.1%) and Germany (11.3%). Among the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, Norway posted the highest growth at 32.7%, with 10,901 units.

Propane- and natural gas-powered vehicles remain the most popular types of AFV, followed by hybrids and all-electric vehicles.