Electric car models to triple in Europe by 2021

A European environmental lobby group has claimed that the number of electric car models available to consumers in Europe is expected to triple by 2021.

New data shows that manufacturers will offer 214 electric car models in 2021, up from 60 models at the end of 2018, despite the continent seeing the uptake of elective vehicles slow due to a lack of charging infrastructure and high prices.

The European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) now suggests that car manufacturers are preparing to embrace car electrification, with carmakers forecast to bring 92 fully electric models and 118 plug-in hybrid models to market in 2021.

If the forecast is correct, 22 per cent of vehicles produced could have a plug by 2025, which would enable manufacturers to easily meet the EU's car CO2 emissions target of 95g/km by 2025.

The production forecasts show electric car manufacturing steadily replacing diesel engine manufacturing across Europe, with the biggest production centres set to be in western Europe – Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

Slovakia is forecast to be making the highest number of EVs per capita by 2025, with Czech Republic and Hungary also expected to be significant production centres.

Lucien Mathieu, transport and emobility analyst at T&E, said: “Thanks to the EU car CO2 standards, Europe is about to see a wave of new, longer range, and more affordable electric cars hit the market. That is good news but the job is not yet done. We need governments to help roll out EV charging at home and at work, and we need changes to car taxation to make electric cars even more attractive than polluting diesels, petrols or poor plug-in hybrid vehicles.”