02 April 2025
Learn subsequent
Month-to-month Market Replace: Used-car gross sales choose up pace in March
01 April 2025
Learn subsequent
What number of EV batteries have been produced globally in 2024?
31 March 2025
Learn subsequent
The Automotive Replace: Trump tariff to take impact worldwide
28 March 2025
Final month, full hybrids (HEVs) led the new-car market in France for the primary time, as petrol registrations collapsed. However is that this the beginning of a brand new electrified age within the nation? Autovista24 particular content material editor Phil Curry explores the most recent figures.
The French new-car market’s struggles continued in March, as petrol powertrains misplaced their main place available in the market for the primary time.
In accordance with figures from French automotive authority PFA, registrations have been down 14.5% within the month, with 153,844 models delivered, based on Autovista24 calculations. This can be a drop of 26,180 models in comparison with the identical interval in 2024.
The early Easter interval in March final 12 months meant that almost all European markets posted declines. These markets bounced again in April. In comparison with the final uninterrupted March in 2023, the market was down 15.8%.
Which means April can also see a registrations decline. It will be pitted in opposition to a stronger month from 2024, whereas additionally seeing disruption from this 12 months’s Easter break.
Solely HEVs and gentle hybrids (MHEVs) posted enhancements final month. Each different powertrain skilled a double-digit decline, highlighting the battle the French new-car market is presently dealing with.
Within the first quarter of the 12 months, registrations are down 7.8% within the nation. The 410,085 models delivered to prospects have been 34,819 models down in opposition to the primary three months of 2024.
There have been a number of circumstances that might have led to the steep decline. Many registrations have been pulled forwards into February, as a consequence of adjustments within the electrical automobile (EV) subsidy quantities supplied by the federal government. There was additionally a change within the malus tax threshold, which can have dissuaded consumers.
From the beginning of final month, the CO2 emission threshold for triggering a €50 malus tax tightened to 113g/km. An extra €25 is added for every 1g/km as much as €150 or 117g/km. An extra €20 for every gramme per kilometre is added as much as 124g/km. After this, the increments improve to a most €70,000 penalty for autos with CO2 emissions of greater than 192g/km.
This will likely clarify a dramatic collapse within the internal-combustion engine (ICE) market throughout March. This comes alongside altering carmaker attitudes, with an increase in MHEV powertrains changing conventional engines. It stays to be seen whether or not the influence will degree out throughout the remainder of the 12 months.
‘This drop within the new automobile market in March was largely predictable after the anticipated registrations in February linked to the discount within the bonus and the rise within the penalty. We must always see much less disrupted month-to-month developments beginning subsequent month,’ defined Marie-Laure Nivot, head of automotive market evaluation at AAA Information.
‘Within the meantime, the 8% decline within the first quarter reveals how depressed the market stays, regardless of the accelerating electrification of fleets.’
Alongside subsidy and malus adjustments, the market additionally needed to compete in opposition to a interval when social leasing was in operation. Throughout this time, personal consumers might lease an EV for €100 a month or much less.
A complete of fifty,000 households benefitted from the supply, which expired inside lower than two months. These autos have been delivered all through February and March, rising registration figures in these intervals.
Modifications within the taxation on ICE fashions with greater emissions could have been instrumental within the collapse of the market in France throughout March.
Petrol registrations fell by 44.2% final month, based on Autovista24 calculations. This meant the 32,867 deliveries within the month was down by 25,995 models 12 months on 12 months. Its market share of 21.4% was down by 11.3 proportion factors (pp) in opposition to March 2023.
The collapse meant that for the primary time, the powertrain fell behind each HEV and MHEV by way of quantity and market share. That is notably important as, not like most EU markets, France splits out its hybrid class into these two applied sciences. Whereas mixed hybrid registrations have led the whole EU marketplace for months, in France, petrol has remained on high because of this cut up.
HEVs and MHEVs have been rising nearer to petrol volumes over the past 12 months. Whether or not March’s outcomes imply a everlasting shift within the powertrain dynamics of the market stays to be seen. However, petrol is now not the dominant power it was once.
Throughout the primary quarter of 2025, petrol registrations are down by 34.1%, with 97,951 models. This can be a shortfall of fifty,734 models 12 months on 12 months. The fuel-type continues to be probably the most registered throughout the three-month interval, however solely simply. Its market share of 23.9% is down from the 33.4% recorded in the identical interval final 12 months.
Diesel additionally struggled in March. Its 6,463-unit complete was 52.1% down 12 months on 12 months, based on Autovista24 calculations. It was the worst-performing of all main powertrain sorts by way of quantity and proportion decline.
The expertise accounted for simply 4.2% of complete registrations within the month, a drop of three.3pp in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months.
Within the 12 months to this point, diesel registrations are down 45.6% with 18,126 registrations. Its maintain of 4.4% has dropped from the 7.5% of complete registrations within the first three months of final 12 months.
Combining petrol and diesel, ICE registrations fell 45.6% in March, with 33,029 fewer deliveries. Its share of 25.6% means it’s prone to being overtaken by the EV group of powertrains in month-to-month figures.
Throughout the primary three months of the 12 months, ICE registrations have fallen 36.2%, equating to a lack of 65,946 models. This has left the expertise with a 28.3% share, a drop from its 40.9% market maintain secured on the similar level in 2024.
As ICE registrations fell, the hybrid market soared. HEVs and MHEVs have been the one powertrains in France to report development in March.
The perfect performing, by way of 12 months on 12 months enchancment, was MHEVs. Registrations elevated by 57.6%, based on Autovista24 calculations. This imply 33,392 new fashions took to the nation’s roads, accounting for 21.7% of complete deliveries. This was a rise of 9.9pp in comparison with the identical level final 12 months.
In the meantime, HEVs achieved a 29.8% registration rise, with 37,284 fashions delivered. The efficiency meant the powertrain led the market by way of share, with 24.2% of complete models within the month. Final 12 months, it represented 16% of the general new-car market, highlighting the expertise’s development within the 12-month interval.
Within the first quarter, MHEV registrations have improved by 73.9%, equating to 89,312 deliveries. This can be a rise of 37,966 models over the identical interval of final 12 months.
The expertise has benefitted from carmakers including extra MHEV choices to their ranges on the expense of pure petrol and diesel fashions. The powertrain has a 21.7% maintain in the marketplace, up 9.9pp.
HEVs noticed an increase of 29% within the first three months of the 12 months, with 94,955 models. Their market share of 23.2% is simply 0.7pp behind petrol over the primary quarter, which means it should doubtless overtake the fuel-type within the coming months if it continues to carry out strongly. This share is an increase from its 16.5% market maintain recorded in the identical interval final 12 months.
Battery-electric automobile (BEV) registrations fell for the eighth month in succession because the expertise continues to battle within the French market. Figures have been down 14.7% with 29,261 deliveries, based on Autovista24 calculations. This led to a slight drop in market share, of simply 0.1pp, to 19%. The all-electric powertrain benefitted from poor outcomes elsewhere to report this stability.
Incentive adjustments haven’t helped uptake, and throughout the primary three months of the 12 months, BEV registrations have dropped 7.1% to 74,519 models. With declines within the ICE market, the all-electric share has grown 0.2pp to 18.2%.
Whereas BEVs have struggled, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations have slumped. March noticed figures down by 49.1%, to eight,289 models. This can be a deficit of 5,061 models, based on Autovista24 calculations. The consequence left the expertise with a market share of 5.4%, down 3.7pp 12 months on 12 months.
PHEVs are the worst-performing powertrain by way of declines throughout the primary quarter of the 12 months. Registrations are down 49.2%, with 19,592 fashions taking to French roads. This can be a drop of 18,983 models. Market share has fallen by 3.9pp, sitting at 4.8% between January and March.
Combining BEV and PHEV outcomes, the EV market fell 25.8% in March, with 13,066 fewer fashions delivered. The group took a market share of 24.4%, simply 1.2pp behind ICE. Nonetheless, this consequence was down 3.7pp 12 months on 12 months. Final 12 months’s share of 28.1% would have comfortably overwhelmed the ICE share from March 2025.
Throughout the primary three months of the 12 months, EV volumes have dropped 20.8% from 2024, equating to a lack of 24,676 models. The group accounted for 22.9% of total figures, down from its 26.7% share recorded on the similar level final 12 months.
Including HEVs into the combination, the electrified market dominated the new-car market in France final month. Nonetheless, the EV decline pulled the grouping right into a lack of 5.7% 12 months on 12 months. Due to the HEV consequence, its market share was up by 4.5pp to 48.6%.
Within the first quarter, the scenario is similar. EVs pulled the electrified phase right into a 1.7% lack of registrations. But the expertise nonetheless dominated the market with a 46.1% share, up 2.9pp in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months.
