The French car market saw a marked decline in February, with 120,764 new passenger cars registered, representing a 14,7% year-on-year decrease, according to figures published by the French Automotive Platform. This drop confirms a difficult start to the year for the sector.
After a sharp decline in January, the market is struggling to recover. Sales for the first two months of the year have fallen by a cumulative 11,1%. The sector continues to be hampered by an uncertain economic climate and prices perceived as high, which are deterring purchasing decisions.
Electric vehicles in slight decline, uneven manufacturers
The market share of new electric vehicles contracted slightly in February, to 27%, after reaching a record high of 28% in January. This category nevertheless retains a significant share of total registrations.
Among manufacturers, the Stellantis group limited the decline with a 7,3% drop in sales year-on-year. In contrast, the Renault group recorded a more significant decrease of 23,5%, while Toyota saw its registrations fall by 19,2% over the same period.
