Covid-19 caused the hardest ever drop in European car sales in 2020, but after rain comes sunshine. The organization of European car manufacturers ACEA is already expecting the first serious rays of sunshine this year. 2021 will end with a plus of 10 percent over the 2020 corona year, it is expected.
2021 will be the first step in recovery from the corona crisis for the automotive industry, predicts the alliance of European automotive manufacturers ACEA. In the first quarter of this year, the industry will still be hit hard by the pandemic, but when vaccinations are well under way in the second half of 2021, the industry will also rebound with a plus of about 10 percent compared to 2020, ACEA calculated.
“More than ever, it is now crucial that we work closely with European policymakers to strengthen the competitive position of European automakers in the global marketplace,” said ACEA Chairman and BMW CEO Oliver Zipse. According to him, the global approach and the strong international demand for its models have enabled European industry to benefit from the markets that have been at the forefront of the recovery, especially in Asia: pre-corona force to resume. “
“Our industry is working hard to recover and to meet future challenges,” Zipse concluded his sunny outlook. “A healthy European car industry, both on its own market and outside it, is not only good for the recovery of the European economy, but also important for achieving the climate goals.”
Partly thanks to increasing investments and stimulus measures in many countries, the market share of electric cars in Europe rose from 3 percent in 2019 to 10.5 percent (provisional figure) last year.
Incidentally, the Dutch trade associations Bovag and RAI Association have submitted a forecast of 400,000 new cars for 2021, which would mean a plus of 12.4 percent compared to 2020.