New car sales in the European Union fell significantly in the summer months of July and August compared to the same months last year.
According to the European car industry association ACEA, sales fell by more than 23 percent in July and by 19 percent in August. In both months, sales fell in the major EU car markets of Germany, France, Spain and Italy. For the Netherlands, this involved decreases of more than 22 and more than 17 percent respectively. Sales rose sharply in the previous months, according to ACEA.
The worldwide shortage of microchips probably plays a role in the decline in new car sales. Because of these chip shortages, many car manufacturers have had to temporarily stop production, making new cars available less quickly. People are therefore more likely to opt for a second-hand one.
In the first eight months of this year, sales in the EU rose by 11 percent to 6.8 million new cars compared to the same period a year ago. In 2020, of course, sales were also historically low for months due to the lockdowns. Since the beginning of this year, 3.4 percent fewer new cars have been sold in the Netherlands than in 2020.