FRANKFURT - Europe's five largest automotive markets edged past China in electric vehicle registrations in the first quarter of 2020, as China battled the outbreak of the coronavirus and imposed shutdowns countrywide, according to a study by PwC and its strategy consulting subsidiary Strategy&.
The trend could see a reversal, as sheltering and lockdown requirements are expected to remain in place in most of Europe throughout the spring and restrictions in China gradually are lifting. More than 80 per cent of China's almost 84,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been in Hubei, of which Wuhan is the capital. The outbreak in the province peaked in mid-February; according to official statistics, there are now almost no new infections occurring.
When hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles are added into the calculation, alternative energy autos already have the highest market share in Europe, the study said.